Read This Before You Pick That Online Marketing Tool
When you look to enhance your marketing, do you think in terms of online marketing tools or strategy? Do you think “I need Facebook” or “I need to reach more prospects online?” Before you pick any online marketing tools you need to start by understanding your goals.
Focus on your business need or goal, then determine the tool or tools that will support what you need to do. As an illustration, understanding that you need a website and what it needs to do should come ahead of picking the content management system you will use to create that website. Using tools that meet your needs will get you better results than deciding what you need based on what a tool provides.
Website Tools
I am often asked “what is the best website platform?” The answer is always, “It depends!”
Once I talk to a client about their business goals, the “right” recommendation becomes clear. I am able to pick the option that will most effectively provide what they need.
- WordPress is a great solution for a growing business that wants to offer more than static pages of information
- Wix is an all-in-one platform that has low start-up costs and features that support a basic website
- SquareSpace offers a lot of design freedom and solid tools
- For some industries there are web platforms that have built in tools that are specific to the industry and can save time and money
Social Media Options
A handful of social media platforms have large user bases but there are actually hundreds of social media options out there. The right options for any business depend on the many factors, including the niche, target audience and business goals. Using Facebook is a fairly sure thing since that platform is so widely used, but finding a smaller social community that reaches the right audience may actually be more effective.
This graphic shows the 2023 user base of just 15 of the largest social media options.
The Downside of Picking Online Marketing Tools First
I often work with clients who are frustrated with their marketing “not working.” Often, the root cause is that they are using the wrong tools.
- Their website tool is too complex for them to manage
- Their email marketing tool does not allow for automatons
- Their social media effort is not generating leads
These are just some common frustrations that can be corrected by using different tools that are more suited to the specific business needs.
If you feel stuck in one or more areas of your online marketing, consider whether it is the tools you are using that are getting in the way. You may accomplish much more simply by changing the services you are using to implement your efforts. I offer more guidance in How to Start a Digital Marketing Strategy to Guide Online Marketing.
