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Houston Digital Marketing Trends That Can Boost Your Business

We are living in an age where digitalization has begun to dominate the marketing process. According to Statista, the United States is one of the world’s largest online markets with over 312 million users or 75% of the population.

Whether a Houston consumer wants to buy a home, find a place to have dinner, or get their car repaired, a majority are now turning to online sources to make purchasing decisions. The stakes are high, so how your company presents and markets itself digitally matters more than ever.

Our Houston digital marketing agency has learned that online marketing in Houston is an evolving space. This means that what worked last year may not be as effective today. Things change.

We understand the necessity of keeping up with the latest developments, so here are some of the Houston digital marketing trends that can help boost your business in the coming year.

1. Kill It with Organic Search through Effective Houston SEO

Your company really should aim to “kill it” in organic search because ignoring the search engines could spell disaster for your business. When we say “search engines,” we, of course, mean Google.

Google currently has 75% of the search market share, and there’s more. According to BrightEdge, more than 40% of business revenue is captured by organic traffic. And Chitika Insights reports that 75% of the clicks come from the top 5 search results on Google.

So, how does your Houston business get its website into one of those coveted top five positions for its desired keywords? This is a moving target thanks to algorithm changes, and Google currently has more than 200 ranking factors that can affect your Houston SEO.

To rise to the top in Houston Digital Marketing requires focusing on a combination of technical and user experience factors. In short, Google wants searchers to find what they are looking for quickly and end up with the best results possible.

2. Broaden Your Reach with Targeted SEM Advertising Campaigns

Supplementing organic search with paid advertising campaigns is still a popular option. But you’ll have to do this right since the landscape has changed drastically.

Statista reports that the use of ad blockers in the U.S. has doubled (from 15% to 30%) since 2014. That sounds terrible, but SEM isn’t a lost cause.

The fact is that, when people are ready to buy, they will click on paid ads. WordStream reports that U.S. consumers click on paid listings over organic listings by a margin of 2:1 when the keywords have high commercial intent.

Google Adwords became Google Ads in 2018. This change was meant to make it easier for businesses to reach targeted customers instead of simply focusing on keywords. This is similar to the paid advertising on social media giants like Facebook, which you also won’t want to ignore.

3. Boost Your Engagement with Video Marketing

If you’ve been avoiding video marking because it sounds “hard,” this is something that you might want to reconsider. The numbers don’t lie.

Search Engine Journal reports that having a video thumbnail show up in search results can double your organic search traffic. Even better, product videos can boost purchases by 144%, according to Neil Patel.

Videos now regularly show up in search listings, and consumers love them.  And, don’t forget that YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine.

But videos have to be done right, meaning they’re engaging and formatted correctly. Not only do you need good titles, descriptions, and thumbnails to encourage clicks, but also interesting content and an effective CTA to promote conversions.

Want an example? Dollar Shave Club created this video seven years ago on a simple $4,500 ad budget, and it is still the top video search result when you Google “dollar shave.” It’s funny and engaging, and you know just what to do when the video ends.

4. Deliver Over the Top Customer Service with Chatbots

While there are still a few that worry about “the machines” taking over humanity, most have gotten over this and embraced what the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence (AI) can deliver. When you think about it, who wouldn’t want a “smart” appliance or more seamless online experience?

This presents Houston businesses with an opportunity to give customers the answers they want 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Since you don’t want to sit poised with your hands over the keyboard at 3 a.m., chatbots can do the heavy lifting either on your website or your Facebook page through Messenger.

Grand View Research reports that 45% of end users prefer a chatbot as a customer service option. When you integrate a chatbot, you can boost your Houston digital marketing reach by expanding your availability to customers. Have the service answer frequently asked questions and refer users to a human for more problem-specific interactions.

5. Use Content Marketing to Heighten Brand Awareness

However you choose to market your business, visitors to your website and social media platforms are going to judge you based on the quality of your content. If there’s not much there, you’ll be less than memorable. Provide content that is sloppy, hard to read, or outdated, and you’ll be remembered for the wrong reasons.

Today’s consumers have access to so much information that it puts the onus on you to provide them with what they are looking for – even if they don’t tell you what that is. You can accomplish this by being authentic to your brand and delivering quality content that will resonate with your target audience.

Effective content is not about selling or dropping a bunch of “click here” and “act fast” links. Savvy consumers know that you are in business to make money, and they wouldn’t be visiting you if they didn’t have some unmet need that you might be able to satisfy.

Some of the best performing content are passionate stories, videos, infographics, and tutorials. You can also allow user-generated content, which is where consumers of the products produce articles and videos. All of this creates brand awareness and trust, which will increase sales.

6. Increase Conversions with Email Marketing Campaigns

Few people can claim that they have a cleaned out inbox, and many of us have become blind to the various offers that scroll by each day. But, what happens when something catches your eye? What about when it comes in with your name on it or is targeted to your needs?

Email marketing continues to be an effective way to convert and retain customers, but it must be done with flair. Statista reports that the number of active email accounts will hit 5.6 billion this year. According to Econsultancy, three-quarters of businesses state that email offers between “good” and “excellent” ROI, meaning it’s still worth your time.

So, how do you make those email messages and newsletters count? When you send your emails makes a difference. For example, emails sent on Tuesdays and around 11 EST have higher clickthrough rates comparatively. Also, personalize emails for different market segments and create short but impactful content.

7. Engage Customers through Social Media Marketing

Businesses that ignore social media today do so at their peril. There’s a better than good chance that your competitors are rocking it on Facebook, Twitter, and a few other choice platforms, so it would be a good idea if you were on there as well.

According to Statista, there are an estimated 2.77 billion social media users worldwide. Facebook alone has 2.2 billion users, and 79% of Americans use some type of social media.

Since social media has also become inundated with content, both users and the platforms have become more discerning. Businesses that are finding the most success on social are paying attention to conversations about their brand and actively engaging with users instead of just feeding them content.

In addition to targeted Facebook Ads, which can be effective, companies can establish a more personal relationship with their audience by asking and answering consumer questions, providing engaging posts at the right time, and promising a quick response to inquiries.

In short, what will put you on top in the search engines and boost your business are methods that promise to increase engagement and brand recognition. Effective Houston online marketing has become more of a conversation than the transmission of a one-way message.

These are the Houston digital marketing trends that are dominating today, but implementing all of them immediately might seem overwhelming. Instead of scrambling to put all of these methods on your list, pick whichever ones stand out – and begin knocking them off one by one.

If you have any questions or could use some further inspiration, find out how our Houston internet marketing agency can help your business achieve its goals.