In today’s tech-driven world, consumers have never been savvier. At the tap of a fingertip, we can access content from reviews to blogs, articles to product demonstrations. This means we are more informed than ever, and brands are under ever increasing scrutiny.
Great content turns consumers into loyal customers and keeps brands on the right side of Google.
Earlier this year Google sent a strong message that content really is king by making its Panda algorithm part of its core search ranking signals. Panda was a 2011 change to Google’s search algorithm that aims to filter out low quality websites and reward those with better content with placement towards the top of its results.
Yet the internet is awash with poor content and consumers are at risk from information overload, so how can brands cut through the noise to make their voices heard? This is where marketing technology help.
What is marketing technology?
Marketing technology, or martech, refers to the tools used by online marketers to make those marketers more efficient and effective at reaching their target audience. They use software and data to ensure content creation and delivery is optimised to achieve maximum impact.
Martech encompasses a range of products or services that include data analytics, conversion optimisation, automation, email marketing, performance monitoring and search engine optimisation. It lets marketing and content strategy decisions be underpinned by strong data, so campaigns are fully exploited to acquire, convert and retain customers.
Why is martech so valuable?
Martech equips brands with the tools they need to target content and make sure it’s delivered through the right channels, at the right time. The technology can be used to maximise search engine ranking, monitor customer engagement, provide real-time feedback on campaign performance and automate repetitive and manual tasks.
Deployed effectively, these tools allow brands to be responsive, efficient and agile in marketing campaigns, by using data to optimise content and automation to streamline processes. Together, these technologies can boost visibility, attract and retain customers, and ultimately grow sales.
How can I use martech?
Before deciding which tools to use, it’s wise to perform a detailed analysis of your marketing department. Identify its challenges and constraints and use this information to find solutions that match your needs.
Here are a few ways you can use marketing tools to strengthen campaigns.
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
Increase search ranking by ensuring content contains relevant keywords. A good place to start is Google’s Keyword Planner.
- Analytics
Use rich analytics data to optimise content and its delivery for your target audience. Google Analytics is a free tool that displays a number of useful data points.
- Conversion optimisation
Maximise content for conversion by experimenting with a range of different formats and calls to action. Start with platforms such as Optimizely.
- Emails
Create personalised emails and automate delivery using platforms such as MailChimp.
- Performance tracking
Use historic data to tweak future campaigns and real-time data to adapt existing campaigns. Platforms such as Marketo offer this service.
In an upcoming post we’ll take a look at some of the martech platforms brands can sign-up to make use of a range of different services to reach their target audience.
–
Follow us on Twitter – @ColContent
