Being a tech startup is never easy. In an increasingly digitalising world, while it certainly has its intrinsic advantages, it has its share of downsides and challenges too. From scarce funding to networking and partnership issues to cyber security challenges to problems and dilemmas in identification and onboarding of right talent to difficulties in conceptualising and formulating an appropriate content and communication strategy, there are challenges galore. Yet, fuelled by ambition and drive, as tech start ups take a full-fledged plunge into the world of business, they can consider the following ten digital marketing strategies that can help their infant business not only survive but even thrive.
Put content marketing at core
Nothing is more communicative than powerful impactful content. A tech startup’s content strategy should not only be driven by audience persona research in terms of demographics, interests and preferences but also by its own product/service offerings and value propositions. A combination of the two should guide the form of content that should be focused on. In other words, content must be relevant and useful while also being unique, fresh and visually appealing. Equally, the placement of the content on appropriate platforms is important. The company must also have a content calendar in place ensuring that the content is released timely on appropriate platforms for appropriate audience.
Tap the appeal of video marketing
In view of the naturally visual appeal of the medium, video marketing must be a top priority tool for tech startups. Even as they should target tech-savvy and naturally inclined customers, because technology by its very nature is somewhat complex to a lay user, preparing and disseminating how-to educational videos with demonstrations would also draw potential non-tech inclined users to its products and offerings. While information must be expressed in a storytelling format, animated infographics should be preferred instead of plain infographics. A company can also use customer testimonials. Creating a YouTube channel would be useful in connecting with a large number of audiences.
Use the power of the blog
Since technology and its complexities are typically unintelligible to common people, the power of the blog could do wonders for a tech startup. Through the blog content, the company could cut through all the clutter and tech jargons and explain things in simple and straightforward language about a foundational technology and the product/service derived from it.
Personalise the connect through email marketing
In a world of social media and instant messaging platforms, email still holds enormous value for marketing. Through email newsletters, a tech startup can give out relevant information about its products periodically in a more personalised manner to its prospective customers. With A/B testing, a company can even make a comparison between a set of two similar campaigns and decide which garners better response.
Focus on SEO marketing
The aim of SEO is to ensure that the company’s content and websites figure higher on Search Engine Result Pages (SERP), draw adequate user attention in terms of specific searches and offer a user-friendly interface. For a tech startup, once it has researched competitors and industry in general in relation to standard keywords being in use, it would need to come up with trending and appropriate keywords, both primary and secondary, related to the company’s offerings and plug them into its broader content. In fact, while finalising topics for content, incorporating long-tail keywords for articles, blogs and other forms of content is an effective way to drive long-term traffic.
Go for PPC marketing/Paid search marketing
Pay per click marketing is another compelling digital marketing technique that a tech startup must consider with an eye on connecting with buyers. Working through search engines, it is an instant and more aggressive way to access customers. On posting of a relevant query on a search engine by a prospective customer, a real-time auction for keywords is triggered and based on a combination of factors – the relevance and quality of the ad, quality of landing page and of course the bid amount – the winner companies are displayed on top of SERPs. So, PPC allows a company to not only target right customers with right ad content but also keep a leash on its spend since the startup only has to pay to search engines when a customer actually clicks on its ad content.
Harness the collective wisdom of social media marketing
Apart from picking out the right platforms where its prospective patrons could be actively engaged, a startup must also track the timings of their activity and the substance of their conversations. And thereafter time its content postings accordingly. There are a number of scheduling tools available. Besides using keywords as hashtags and captions on their social media posts, they should also engage in direct conversations with customers. This would again engender interest while also inspiring trust in the new company. From Instagram Story, Reels and IGTV to Facebook Story and Shops to Youtube’s Shorts, there is a wide range of micro platforms available for content placement on social media.
Ride the influencer marketing bandwagon
With new-age micro and nano influencers emerging as the rising stars on the horizon, not only can they ride on the brand equity of the influencer, but also benefit from the lower costs as compared to those when engaging regular celebrities. For those grappling with the problem of selecting the right influencers, not only are there automated tools to help them make that selection but also a number of influencer marketing agencies that can do this job for them. However, actual engagement rates of an influencer must guide their decision and not just follower numbers.
Make the most of digital analytics
With technology continually shaping the evolution of digital analytics as also web analytics, a data-based understanding and measurement of consumer behvaiour has become easier than ever before. Predictive analytics based on past data can help identify potential customers, target them appropriately and even convert them into leads. Also, digital analytics can also help determine which digital marketing technique works best for which product and thereby help measure ROI. Digital analytics can work in tandem with web analytics, another attraction for a tech startup. However, startups must focus on core metrics and not get swayed by vanity metrics.
Erect fail-proof cyber security defences
Finally, a tech start up must also put in place robust and fail-proof cyber security systems and protocols in order to secure their innovations and sensitive proprietary information. Different digital marketing platforms are susceptible to different cyber security threats. For instance, while content management systems may be subjected to distributed denial-of-service attacks, social media risks identity theft and emails could be targeted by way of phishing attacks and malware apart from general ransomware attacks. Therefore, erection of firewalls, using two-factor authentication process, regular updating of software and hardware drivers and employing of SSL protocols must form the backbone of a comprehensive cyber security strategy.
That there is a real world too must not be lost sight of. Startups must also consider live events to interact directly with their target customers while also networking with other industry players. A few social media platforms also offer live event options. They must be made use of.
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