People have interesting ways of expressing themselves when it comes to explaining the supernatural. Hundreds of sightings. Cave paintings. Stories of encounters. Cheap plastic figures, sold next to stickers saying “I believe”. After all is said and done, one thing remains the same: we don’t know what we don’t know.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to join me in the basement as we review the facts, the myths, the hoaxes. That’s right, we’re talking about digital marketing strategies.
…Got you there, didn’t I? Thought we were discussing monsters in the woods, huh? Well, as fun as that would be, I’m sure going on about Big Foot or Skinwalkers wouldn’t be great for SEO (and I only have so many tin-foil hats to go around). BUT we can incorporate some elements into this blog; satisfying two cravings at once, ya know?
They’re Out There…
So you found your first footprint – I mean – marketing strategy in the wild. That’s great! You’ve taken one small step into a larger world, but what do you do with it?
For some reason, some people’s first and ONLY impulse is to take a blurry photo of the evidence. We’re talking a real “that’ll show em!” moment. Fat chance; they all look like the last one, which moves me to my talking point: you need to organize and plan.
Digital marketing isn’t a one-and-done process, it’s constantly changing and evolving. What worked great a few years ago is already out of date, and the further you go back, the more you see it’s always been this way. So, for the here and now of your marketing plan, finding best practices is key. It’s also worth mentioning that you should get a handle on who and where your audience is. Otherwise, you’re flapping your gums into the woods at 3 am despite work tomorrow.
Let’s say you’re running a make-shift cryptid hunting and research facility out of your parents’ basement (WHICH I AM NOT) and you don’t know heads from tails of where to start advertising. You figure Facebook, Instagram, maybe even Craigslist for the truly fearless advertisers. Hell, you even considered a billboard just because some other people tried it to… results. However, when it comes to who’s actually looking for content you’re putting out, you have to be right on the money. This process can and will take time, so don’t feel discouraged if it doesn’t work out the first time. Believe me, I’ve seen a thing or two out there.
Gathering Evidence
What good is a monster story without a few eyewitnesses, right? Hundreds, no, thousands of people swear they’ve seen something in the darker parts of the forests and woods all over the world. Down here in Florida, we have the Skunk Ape, in Oregon they have the Sasquatch, and at Party City they had $35 gorilla suits.
My point is, these things seem to be everywhere. Whether it’s a giant hoax or there’s some salt to these stories, one thing remains true: not everyone is making it up.
As far as digital marketing is concerned, that can be quite the opposite experience. I’ll let you guys in on a little secret: no one knows what they’re doing in the marketing world, not for certain. The amount of hits versus misses is NEVER going to be even, and it takes a lot of time dedicated to fine-tuning your brand and voice. We’re all just making it up as we go, and we all hope it’s going to work.
That’s not to say you’re completely in the dark on this whole marketing thing. Trends affect media the same way they do clothing. Finding what works best for other people in your sphere and taking it to the next step is one easy way to start getting some traffic to your website. You can also cram your keywords into your posts, streamlining your SEO to give yourself a real boost!
Get Your Nets Ready!
So now you have your wisetales, and you have an idea of where to find your monsters. Let’s go hunting! I bought this really big net that I thought could help with capturing a… it looked bigger on the shelf when I bought it. No… I only had $20 on me, so I wasn’t able to buy more.
No… I didn’t think about what to do with a monster when I caught it…
H-hey, that’s okay! I can improvise! We can get some more duct tape, and with this old fishing tackle Brian loaned me (thanks, Brian), we can make it bigger!
Once you have all your materials for your brand’s big debut, it’s time to get out there and start getting some results! Check under every rock, every crevice while you’re out there. You never know what you’re going to find until you look, and that means getting creative! Make some fresh content, the kind of stuff that grabs people’s attention. Make something that lingers in your mind, something that’s hard to forget and brings traffic to your websites and social media channels!
And that’s that! I’m glad all four of you stuck around until the end. I hope you learned something, and you’re excited to find the evidence you’re craving out there!
Happy Hunting!
