SEO, SMM & SEM: Best ways to increase inquiries through your website

In today’s digital age, people have changed the way they conduct business and how consumers interact and transact with businesses both local and international. These changes have forced companies to embrace and accept digital marketing as an essential part of their overall marketing strategy.

So, how does digital marketing help a business to grow? Digital marketing companies state that your website is the first place to start. This is the number one medium that has the potential to be seen by millions of people. Therefore, it is vital to make sure that your website is easily accessible to all users regardless of the device they are using.
Some might argue that social would be the first place to start. This can be true for professions such as artists, actors, even politician. For companies however the most comprehensive medium to showcase their heritage, sustainability, engagement in the community, their services & products are a modern and up to date website.

Now that the importance of having a website has been addressed, what’s next?
The next focus area for all businesses is about driving traffic to your website. Personal recommendations, Newsletters, etc. are not mentioned as they usually fall under the post purchase loop and do not necessarily target new visitors.
The main channels to drive traffic to your site are listed below:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) –  SEO has a huge potential to generate qualified leads, attract high-quality traffic, and be extremely cost-effective. However, it depends on your strategy to achieve those things. Your SEO strategy should include:

• A great selection of keywords
• Creating stellar content
• Managing online reputation
• On-page and Off-page optimization
• Well-optimized local business listings
• A mobile-friendly website, etc.

SEO is one of the best ways to build and maintain a strong web presence. It might take a while for your business to see results, but it can increase sales and help your business grow. This is especially true if you work with a professional SEO company which has ample experience to create a strategy customized to your business needs.
SEO requires a long-term commitment and close collaboration with the SEO company appointment to manage and run your companies SEO.

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) – SEM or PPC (Pay Per Click), is an effective platform that advertisers can use to target a specific group of people online and place your products right in front of them.
If SEM is done correctly, it will help increase sales, lead generation, and improve your brand awareness and ultimately your brand image.
However, knowing exactly what to include in your ads, which search terms should be used and how much to spend per search term is not easy and require experience. Producing the best ROI is the main task for the SEM agency and easy to achieve if the company’s representative works hand in hand with the agency.
Reporting after the campaign is equally important for both parties to analyze where to improve and highlight on the things which worked. 

SMM (Social Media Marketing) – There is no doubt that different social media platforms have completely changed how a lot of people live today. Not only did it change how we communicate with each other, but it also changed the way we shop and interact with different businesses. Social media plays therefore a significant role in the shift towards online shopping and online behavior.
A large percentage of people are buying something because they saw it on social media.
With the right plan and strategy in mind, a business can generate more sales through social media marketing. A well-planned social media marketing strategy includes:

• Well defined social media goals
• Research your target audiences
• Perform a social media competitive analysis
• Create engaging social content
• Finding the best time to engage with customers
• Tracking and monitoring your social metrics.

Unfortunately, all the above-mentioned activities, SEO, SEM and SMM have evolved over the years and are impossible for a layman/woman to master.
Companies will obviously try to entrust employees with peripheral knowledge, which might work to a very small extend and with very little success.
A company which considers itself serious about their business should only select a professional and experienced digital media agency.