7 Marketing Channels You Should Focus on in 2021

There are so many ways to market to your customers these days, brands have more options than ever to reach their target market. So, how do you determine which marketing channel is right for you? We’re going to go over the 7 best marketing channels you should be focusing on in 2021 to reach new customers.

1. Word of Mouth

Sometimes marketers forget about word of mouth marketing, but it is one of the most effective ways to bring in new customers. People trust their friends and family’s recommendations and will listen to what they have to say.

Customers will only rave about a product if they truly believe in it and it benefitted them in some way. Focusing on developing a product or service that is superior and providing excellent customer service will help get you loyal customers who will recommend your brand.

There are a few ways to encourage word of mouth marketing:

• Referral program: You can offer incentives every time one of your customer’s referrals hires you or purchases from you.
• Ask for reviews: Simply reach out to customers after they purchase from you and ask them to review.
• Showcase reviews: Showcase your top reviews or testimonials on your website and social media pages.

2. SEO

Everyone uses Google. In fact, according to Google, 89% of B2B buyers and 81% of online shoppers use search engines to research new products and services. SEO is arguably the best marketing channel for acquiring attention and it’s also one of the highest converting marketing channels.

People use search engines to ask a question or find a solution to their problems. If your brand can offer an answer to their question, people will download your offer or sign up for a free trial if you can provide them with what they’re looking for.

Here are a few ways to improve your SEO strategy:

• Keyword search: Find out what people are searching for and make sure you have content or blog posts that relate back to those topics.
• Link to other content: By linking to other content you’ve made; it shows search engines that you are trustworthy. Consider building a pillar page to prove you are an expert on the topic.
• Update regularly: You have to be consistent with posting and publishing content if you want to rank higher in search results.

3. Podcasts

On average, people are spending 17 hours per week listening to podcasts, online radio shows, and audiobooks. There were also 14 million new weekly podcast listeners in 2019 compared to 2018, so podcasts are becoming increasingly popular.

Audio content can’t be ignored, but there are a lot of people and brands that are jumping into the industry right now so it’s important that you stand out.

For some tips on how to get started:

• Be unique: If your podcast is just another interview-an-expert, it will only add to the noise flooding the internet. Find something that is different and will entice listeners.
• Tell a story: Storytelling is the best way to capture people’s attention and resonate with them emotionally.
• Be a guest on other podcasts: A great way to introduce yourself to a new audience is to be a guest on another podcast. Find another podcast in your niche that has a complementary audience to yours.

4. Smart Voice Assistants

More and more people are having smart voice assistants like Alexa and Google Home in their homes. Dozens of companies have developed “skills” for Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant platform.

There are so many ways you can utilize an Amazon skill for your business. If you’re a fitness brand you can create a workout plan or healthy recipe to follow. A bank can create a skill where users can check their balance or transfer funds using voice commands. Tide offers a step-by-step guide via voice on how to eliminate over 200 forms of stains.

Having an Amazon skill will show that your brand is innovative and helpful. Building a reputation and improving goodwill in customers will indirectly create more revenue by driving conversions.

To implement your own Alexa skill strategy:

• Establish a content marketing plan: Identify the content your team already has and how it can be modified to fit a voice-specific strategy. Your Alexa Skills plan should complement your company’s existing content strategy and should be a natural extension to the queries your customers are conducting in other formats.
• Leverage Alexa for e-commerce: If you sell products online, it can be worth it to sell through Amazon if you can integrate a skill that will boost your sales and make it easier to order your products through voice search.
• Unveil a voice-activated loyalty program: With a voice-enabled loyalty program, your brand will be more likely to stay top of mind among Alexa users.

5. Email

Although email is often thought of as something outdated and not used as much anymore, the truth is it’s more alive than ever. Email usage in the U.S. has grown every year since 2012 and 91% of American internet users use email.

Email marketing is the best method of direct response marketing there is. Since these users have opted into hearing from you, they’re more willing to open emails and learn about your latest products.

Email best practices include:

• Make it personal: Use triggered autoresponders and segment your email list to ensure emails are as relevant to the receivers as possible.
• Keep it short: The email should be easy to read and easy to scan with a clear CTA at the bottom.
• Don’t neglect the subject line: Give the users a reason to click. Offer value and incite urgency to increase clicks.

6. Social Media

There’s no question that people are spending hours a day scrolling through social media. A lot of customers seek out brands they’re interested in and use social media as a way to research and make buying decisions. For that reason, every brand should have some sort of presence on social media.

Some social media tips include:

• Build relationships: Social media is a great place to get to know your customers and for them to get to know you. Interact with followers as much as possible to build a community.
• Post engaging content: Posting engaging videos, doing contests, and asking questions are all great ways to keep your followers engaged.
• Post regularly: Creating a social media schedule to help keep your posting on track is something that will increase your following.

7. Pay-Per-Click Marketing

Pay-per-click, or PPC, advertising is a viable option if you have the budget and knowledge to run it successfully. There is a learning curve for each platform, so if you can afford to hire an agency to handle your campaigns for you, we recommend that.

Google Ads and Facebook/Instagram Ads are the two dominating platforms. Google search ads help you connect with users who are searching for products or services like yours. Google display ads and Facebook/Instagram ads allow you to introduce your products to customers who may not be looking or know you exist.

Some PPC tips include:

• Align the ad with your landing page: If someone clicks on your ad, it should bring them to a page talking about exactly what was featured in your ad. If you just bring them to your home page, it likely won’t convert to a sale.
• Appeal to a mobile audience: The growing majority of users are using their mobile device to use the internet, so you need to ensure your ad displays well for mobile. Consider using ad extensions that will help mobile consumers contact you with a single tap on their smartphone.
• Test, test, test: Know that you likely won’t have huge success on your first try. You might find that just the slightest change in wording makes all the difference so it’s important to run multiple tests.

If you're interested in learning more about inbound marketing and how to run an effective marketing campaign, download our free Campaign Guide here.