Digital marketing has transformed how businesses reach and engage their customers. If you’re looking to stay ahead in this competitive landscape, you have a wide range of options available, and digital marketing can seem intimidating for this exact reason: it comes in so many different forms, and there are so many digital agencies vying for your attention. But, the upside is a lot of digital strategies are relatively cost-effective and easy to start implementing. In this article, we’ll go over the primary forms of digital marketing, some examples of how to leverage them in Canberra’s unique business environment, and how to get started.
Search Engine Optimisation
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the bread and butter of any digital marketing agency. If you’ve ever wondered why certain sites pop up first when you Google something – it’s because they’ve been well-optimised. Simply put, this means ensuring the content on your website contains the keywords people are likely to type in when Googling topics related to your business. This means it will rank higher on search engine results pages. By doing this, businesses can attract more organic traffic to their online presence and improve their chances of generating leads and sales.
SEO always starts with keyword research. Keyword research is the process of narrowing down exactly what words and phrases related to your business you need to use to rank higher on search engines. There are lots of tools available to help you do this, like Google’s Keyword Planner.
Adding SEO to your digital strategy will also help you reach Canberrans specifically. Canberra’s diverse business landscape and focus on innovation make SEO an essential tool for local businesses, so you can effectively reach the vibrant community of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across sectors such as government, education, technology, and healthcare Canberra has to offer.
While Canberra has a smaller population compared to major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, it also presents a less saturated market than other cities in Australia. This provides businesses with an opportunity to gain a competitive edge using SEO strategies. By targeting specific keywords and optimizing their online presence, businesses can position themselves prominently in local search results, capturing the attention of potential customers and outshining their competitors.
You can do this by using location-specific keywords, such as making sure your website includes the phrase ‘in Canberra’, and making the most of your Google My Business profile by customising it with all the relevant information, such as your phone number and address. For instance, a local boutique can optimise its website by creating a blog that highlights the latest fashion trends and uses keywords such as ‘Canberra fashion’ and ‘affordable clothing in Canberra’. This can increase the boutique’s visibility on search engine results pages and attract more localised traffic to their website.
However, keywords aren’t everything. It is important to make sure the mainstay of your website is engaging, quality content. While keywords are important, Google will penalise websites that rely too heavily on them – otherwise known as keyword stuffing. A balance between keywords and great content should be the goal.
Content Marketing
Let’s expand on content, an entire digital marketing strategy in itself. Content marketing involves the strategic posting of high-quality, valuable content relevant to your industry on your website and social media platforms to attract new customers and keep the existing ones engaged.
The different formats you can use are endless: blog posts, videos, infographics, and podcasts are just a few. The key is to always keep your audience in mind: think about what might interest them, and what they will find valuable, informative and relevant to them. This will get easier over time through trial and error and taking note of the content your target audience appreciates the most as you go.
For example, a business that specialises in outdoor gear can create content that appeals to Canberra’s active and adventurous population. This will allow them to build a loyal following of engaged and interested followers who are more likely to convert into paying customers.
Content marketing can also be a cost-effective way for businesses to drive traffic to their website and improve their search engine rankings. By creating high-quality content that is optimised for specific keywords and phrases, businesses can improve their visibility on search engines like Google, which can lead to increased organic traffic and ultimately, more conversions.
Here’s another example: a local restaurant can create a blog post about the history and culture of the local food scene in Canberra. By incorporating relevant keywords and phrases, the post will rank highly on search engines for people searching for information on Canberra’s food scene. These viewers are all potential new customers – and if they found your blog post genuinely informative, they’re more likely to spend longer on your site, check out your menu what you have to offer, and ideally plan a visit.
Canberra is the perfect place for businesses to make the most of content marketing, with its vibrant intellectual and cultural climate. Thanks to its numerous universities, research institutions, and government agencies, Canberra is a community that appreciates intellectual discussions, engaging content, and thought-provoking ideas. By posting content that stimulates conversations and resonates with Canberra’s residents, you can make the most of your content marketing.
Visuals are also an important aspect of content marketing to get viewers’ attention in the first place, and Canberra’s beautiful landscape provides ample opportunities to source your own images. From the picturesque landscapes of Lake Burley Griffin to the surrounding mountains and national parks, you have a multitude of options to integrate into your content and show viewers immediately you’re a Canberra-owned business.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is one of the most popular and effective forms of digital marketing in Canberra – and for good reason: According to a study conducted by the Canberra Business Chamber, 87% of Canberrans actively use social media to discover and engage with local businesses. Make the most of this by using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the professional networking site LinkedIn to build a social media presence and connect with your local audience, tapping into the sense of community these platforms enable.
It’s a great way to communicate back and forth with your customers in a way traditional advertising doesn’t allow. By consistently posting interesting content that is likely to engage your customer base, your business can build a loyal following and increase brand awareness. These will also allow you to have a consistent stream of feedback from your customers and get ongoing insight into their brand perceptions.
Social media platforms also offer many tools for businesses to promote their products or services, like paid advertising and influencer partnerships. Much like Google Ads, you can target specific demographics and interests on social media platforms, making it a highly cost-effective and efficient way to reach your target audience when done right. This allows you to build an effective online presence and grow your business at the same time for a relatively low cost.
A local focus is important in social media marketing. Businesses can use social media to share their brand values and showcase their involvement in the local Canberra community – whom they want to reach most. To become a trustworthy member of the Canberra community, share updates about local events, charitable initiatives, and partnerships with other local businesses on your social media platform.
Canberra’s annual events and festivals also provide plenty of opportunities to leverage social media marketing. The Enlighten Festival, Floriade, and the Multicultural Festival are just a few examples of events that attract a large number of attendees and generate social media buzz. Local businesses that strategically incorporate event-specific hashtags and creative content into their social media strategy can benefit from increased visibility and engagement during these events.
One successful example of this in Canberra was the ‘Live in Canberra’ social media campaign by the ACT Government. This popular social media campaign featured stories from locals about what they loved about living in Canberra and was promoted on social media using the hashtag #CBR. This way of inviting participation is a great way to drive engagement.
The popular Canberra coffee shop, “Brew & Sip,” also saw a substantial increase in customer traffic and brand recognition after launching an engaging social media campaign featuring behind-the-scenes videos of their skilled baristas crafting unique coffee blends. The campaign encouraged Canberrans to share their coffee experiences using a dedicated hashtag, creating a sense of community and sparking conversations about local coffee culture.
Pay Per Click Marketing
Pay-per-click (PPC) marketing is another strategy with a high potential ROI (return on investment). It involves placing ads on search engines and social media platforms and paying a fee each time someone clicks on the ad. This form of digital marketing is highly targeted and can be incredibly effective in driving business growth and traffic to your website. When you search for something on Google, often the first half dozen results will have the word “sponsored” above them. These are companies using Google Ads, which allows advertisers to bid on keywords. The winning bid appears at the top of the search result and the advertisers pay Google each time a user clicks on it. Additionally, PPC marketing can be highly measurable with data analysis and analytics, allowing businesses to track their (ROI) and make data-driven decisions about their overall marketing strategy, allowing businesses to make the best use of their marketing budget.
PPC marketing in Canberra offers the advantage of precise targeting to specific requirements, enabling businesses to reach specific segments of their intended audience. Businesses can improve their chances of making sales by displaying their ads to the right audience at the right time. They can do this by targeting specific groups based on factors like location, age, and interests, and using relevant keywords. Here’s an example: if you run a beauty salon in Canberra, Google allows you to target women in Canberra aged 18-25 specifically. PPC marketing is different from other digital marketing methods like content marketing and SEO, because it can produce immediate results by directing traffic to a website. This makes it a great option for businesses looking to boost their website traffic vastly in a short time, generating leads and sales quickly in the digital space.
Canberra, being a city known for its vibrant food scene and love for local flavours, provides opportunities for businesses to deliver paid advertising campaigns to effectively to showcase their product or service. A restaurant in Canberra, for example, can utilise paid ads to promote its unique dishes and culinary offerings. By targeting keywords such as “organic restaurants in Canberra” or “locally sourced ingredients in Canberra” through PPC ads, a restaurant can capture the attention of Canberra residents who value high-quality, environmentally conscious dining experiences and compel them to give their venue a try.
Another way paid advertising can be leveraged in Canberra is by tapping into the city’s thriving arts and culture scene. Canberra is home to numerous galleries, exhibitions, and cultural festivals that attract both locals and visitors. Businesses such as art galleries or boutique stores selling unique handmade crafts can utilize paid advertising to promote their products or upcoming events during popular cultural festivals like the Canberra Balloon Spectacular or the National Multicultural Festival. By running targeted PPC campaigns with relevant keywords and demographics, these businesses can effectively reach art enthusiasts and festival-goers who are actively seeking unique experiences and products.
Another benefit is that because Canberra is relatively small compared to other major Australian cities, there might be less competition for online advertising space, causing lower costs per click, and increasing the ROI even further.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is another form of digital marketing you can use to drive forward your business goals, build brand recognition and increase engagement locally. We’re all familiar with email marketing; the average person probably receives at least 10 promotional emails in their inbox every day. However, there are lots of email marketing software tools available and strategies to ensure you don’t get lost in the crowd and can connect with your target audience on a more personal and direct level via email.
Make sure you’re on the pulse of what’s going on in Canberra so you can integrate this into your email marketing campaigns and make them as relevant as possible to your target audience. By doing this, you can increase open rates on emails significantly by putting time-sensitive, topical local information that your customer base is interested in at the forefront of your emails.
For example, if you won a bookstore in Canberra, the Canberra Writers’ Festival would be a perfect time to email your client base offering a sale on books authored by speakers at the festival. The subject line could be: “Get read up before the Writer’s Festival with this deal.” If you have a clothing wear business, you can send your customers an email on a particularly cold day in Canberra showcasing your outerwear options, with the cohesive subject line “Make sure your coat can stand up to the coldest Canberra mornings yet.”
Digital Marketing Agency Canberra
Digital marketing has become a crucial business growth strategy to keep meeting objectives. While implementing one of the marketing solutions alone is useful, by combining the different strategies simultaneously and adapting them to Canberra culture, you’ll not only be able to reach your audience more effectively but also keep them engaged. If you want guidance or more tips, you can read more of our digital marketing resources here.
We’re a Canberra-based digital marketing agency with a talented, expert team. We offer a range of digital marketing and web services, including custom web design, web development, branding, and SEO. If you’re looking to build a strong online presence to take your business to the next level, you can get in touch with us for an initial consultation at 02 6169 4422 or hello@futuretheory.co.
