Online Marketing For 2012

Last year was an exciting year in the online marketing industry - Google certainly kept search marketers busy with multiple of major algorithm changes. With January over already, now is an excellent time to reassess and realign your online goals. So where should you focus your marketing energy and efforts this year?

Here are six online marketing strategies worthy of your attention in 2012:

1. Mobile Search

Approximately 3 million New Zealanders own a mobile phone or have a Smartphone in their pocket. As mobile technology becomes cheaper, more accessible, and more widespread at home and at work - browsing the web via a phone is rapidly becoming the norm. Start thinking how user friendly your website is when viewed on a mobile phone.

Google are very active on promoting mobile search and released a tool allowing you to test how mobile friendly your site is.

Expect mobile search to skyrocket in 2012.

2. Online Reputation Management

You do not want to lose potential customers because of a negative comment appearing about your company on the web. Offense is normally the best defence in online reputation management.  Make sure you are listening to the right channels and good making use of social media. This year be prepared to combat any negative feedback before it could appear and promote positive responses from customers.

You cannot ignore your company’s online reputation in 2012.

3. Local Search

More and more, people want to know what is near them when they search. Google noticed this a while back and now returns locally relevant results for a very high percentage of search queries. Have you checked whether your important keywords trigger local listings? Local rankings require a different approach to traditional SEO.

In 2012 expect more competition in the local results as competitors begin to catch on.

4. Google Analytics

Google Analytics no longer reports keywords searches from users logged in to any Google product. You may notice many visits from “not provided” search terms in your analytics this year. This change was apparently in the name “privacy”; however, Google Adwords still provides keyword referral data. Instead of worrying about it, start to think about what else you can improve on. What is working and what is not? Google analytics can provide plenty of insight into how visitors interact with your site.

2012 is the perfect to time to focus on the user experience of your website.

5. Conversion Optimization

You may be getting decent traffic, but how well does your site convert your visitors? Are they filling in that form? Do they download that PDF? Do they click that button? Conversion rate optimisation is about testing what is working on your site and what is not, and then making improvements.

In 2012 we think New Zealand companies will invest more in conversion optimization / AB testing as they begin to understand its impact and continue to improve their conversion rates. 

6. Content Marketing

Are you creating content around the needs of the customer? Are you publishing content that will earn you natural backlinks? In 2012, we believe Google will start identifying and devaluing unnatural looking linking patterns, while rewarding sites that deserve visibility. Therefore, it is critical you are marketing content people find useful and enjoy consuming. Content marketing increases the chances of people linking to you purely on merit.

Think quality over quantity this year for your content. Does your website have the best possible source of information on your topic?

We believe these six online marketing strategies will give you a significant advantage in 2012. Take action now and achieve more with your online marketing this year. For better results today talk to us - we are happy to help.

For a more indepth view read this excellent post on online marketing best practices in 2012 .