You’ve got your new website launched. You’ve made your first couple of posts to social media. Your Google search ads are set up and rolling. So why isn’t the phone ringing off the hook? One thing that we like to remind our clients is that digital marketing—and all of its collective efforts—is not something that makes an impact overnight. Digital marketing results come after a foundation has been laid and time has been spent building upon that foundation. Just because you don’t see loads of feedback pouring in right away does not mean that it’s not doing what it was intended to do.
Viral vs. reality
You’ve heard of viral digital content—the kind that spreads so fast it yields literally millions of viewers in a very short amount of time. Sure, your business could post some funny/shocking/brilliant video of someone doing something noteworthy, and it could go viral. But let’s be honest, with the multitudes of content out there that it’s competing against, the chances are slim.
It’s more likely that your digital assets will gain a following over time, as your content builds upon itself (going back to laying that foundation). Time gives your content the chance it needs to be seen, shared and consumed. Just because you launch your website on a Tuesday, for example, does not mean you’re going to have a line of people outside your door on Wednesday morning.
The key is consistency
Digital marketing results rely on the long game—and the key is consistency. Publishing one single blog post may not make much of a dent. However, consistently publishing blog posts every week, or even every month, is what will help you tremendously in terms of SEO and instilling consumer confidence in your brand.
The same goes for social media. If you post once in December, and then don’t post again until March—you’ve got more than two months of page inactivity that’s hurting you. That inactivity in between posting affects you the next time you do decide to become active. If social media users haven’t had your page on their radar on some kind of consistent basis, then chances are social media algorithms haven’t either. That means the algorithms will not play kindly to your once-every-few-months’ content.
Don’t give up
The good news is, consistency works! Think of SEO and digital marketing as making drops in a bucket. Each drop itself is small, but in time, it adds up to filling the bucket. The same is true for your digital marketing efforts. You may think one blog post a month isn’t much, but regularly building that library of content over time is what helps your digital assets stand out in the long run. Search engines like consistent, quality content—and the actual human beings following your content will like it too.
A few tips for yielding digital marketing results
- Post multiple times a week to social media (if not every day).
- Blog at least once a month (if not once a week).
- Consistently encourage customers to leave you online reviews.
- Add to your client email list on a regular basis.
- Be responsive to comments on your social media and websites.
- Maintain consistency in your branding so that you are easily recognizable across all channels.
Summary
It can be difficult to be patient when waiting to see digital marketing results. We all want that instant gratification. Take comfort in knowing, however, that your efforts are not in vain. The results you want from your digital campaigns take time to achieve, but good things come to those who wait!
McNutt & Partners is a full-service advertising and digital marketing agency. Contact us today for your marketing needs! Call 334-521-1010, or visit our contact page.
