I’m going to do some discipline-crossing here to talk about one simple concept: asking for what you want. In digital marketing, as in all situations, this doesn’t mean demanding anything, nor does it mean you’re guaranteed to get what you wanted.
And in digital marketing, specifically, it doesn’t mean using offensively overt calls-to-action, ie…
What it does mean is that your brand’s audience isn’t filled with mind readers and your network isn’t sitting around thinking about ways they can promote your brand. But if you ask them for help, you certainly increase the odds of getting it.
What can you ask for?
- Links to your website. No matter what happens with Google’s algorithm updates, relevant, quality links are good for your site. So don’t be afraid to ask people for them. This is a whole post in itself, but if you’ve identified a quality site that’s relevant to your business, brainstorm clever ways to ask nicely for a link!
- Reviews. Whether it’s a review on Yelp or Google, a testimonial on your site, or a full-blown review on a popular blog, reviews are golden. Ask for them! Include messaging at smart touchpoints expressing your appreciation for your customers’ business and how much a review would mean to them; connect with relevant bloggers, build a rapport, and ask them for a review.
- Website Actions. Asking site visitors to do what you want them to doesn’t have to mean virtually blurting, “Click here!!” Depending on who your brand is, you can find more elegant or clever ways to lead your users/fans/customers down a desired path. Be sure you’re doing that wherever possible; make your webpages and social properties work harder for you.
- Their Opinion. A survey can be leveraged as a great engagement tool, but also for some quick, light market research. Ask your customers what new products they’d love to see you produce or how they first learned of your brand and you’ll probably glean some pretty interesting insight.
These are just a few examples of how to work with your audience and network to take your online marketing efforts further. Now I ask you…what other examples might you suggest?
