Our perception of marketing has changed vastly over the last decade. Not only is a billboard “not enough,” but companies are expected to have a presence in a long list of additional sites.

This began when the Web took real form in the early 2000s, exploded when social media became prominent, and is growing still thanks to geo-location and other innovative platforms. There are so many to manage that it’s often hard to juggle — but it’s a task that must be done if you want the most effective possible presence for your company.

The Marketing Tools of the ’10s

By this point, your company probably already has a fairly good website, a solid PPC advertising setup on the search engines, and the basic web-based utilities for your customers — such as an email address or, dependent on your industry, even online chat. However, the 2010s have brought even more technology to be wrangled. Most prominently, geo-location apps and social media marketing provide amazing platforms to further your business

Taking Advantage of the Mobile Boom with Geo-location

There are several applications that have created a new connection between mobile devices, such as the already established 4Square or the up-and-coming Google Hotpot. These programs allow you to market to people who are literally steps away from your business, create a hub for social interaction around your business, and give an incentive for visitors to see what your company has to offer.

Be sure you:

• Have a profile on each of the major geo-location platforms.
• Provide incentives for “check-ins,” “mayor-ship,” and (when it doesn’t violate terms of service) reviews.
• Check the data reporting of geo-location visitors who stopped by your business.

Extend Your PPC Grasp with Social Media Marketing

Beyond simple PPC ads on Google and the Microsoft Ad Network, be sure to look into what advertising on platforms like Facebook can do for your business. The low cost and highly narrowed-down advertising base allows you to both get leads and generate a more powerful presence directly on these social sites.

Be sure you:

• Have a “page” or “profile” on all major social networks.
• Use highly visual, directly targeted ads.
• Cross-integrate your social networks (e.g., make your blog posts load to Facebook, your Facebook status updates go to Twitter, and so forth).

Don’t Forget the Blog!

Many companies, while they are good at making hub pages on social platforms, neglect one of their most powerful tools: their blog. A frequently updated blog provides both users and search engines with fresh data to look at.

When it comes to your blog, be sure you:

• Have a professional looking template.
• Have available contact information. The best method is using a contact form such as CF7(a top WordPress option), Kontactr (a top Blogger option), or WordPress-to-Lead (a SalesForce integrated form that’s perfect for businesses who use that CRM).
• Update frequently.
• Provide high-quality content that focuses on being useful to visitors.

BOTTOM LINE

By providing a blog, you provide your visitors — including those on your social media and geo-location outlets — with a “home base” to return to. Just be sure to provide your blog’s address on your other profile pages!