The Tampa area is growing rapidly, both in businesses and in population. Studies within the last few years have shown that Tampa is a popular city to move to, especially for younger millennials. So how can you stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace? As Tampa’s population becomes more and more tech savvy the answer becomes evident – digital marketing. Read on to learn the four fundamental types of digital marketing strategies that your business needs to grow and thrive in the Tampa marketplace.

1) Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization, also known as “SEO”, is the most important of all digital marketing strategies. The ultimate goal of SEO is to get your businesses on that coveted first page of search results.

The problem with SEO is that, like many marketing strategies, it is a constantly changing science – so how can you pinpoint what needs to be on your company’s website?

You can have a DIY SEO, using independent websites to determine keywords and URLs. Keywords are words or phrases that search engines look for on websites to match to a search inputted by a potential customer. For example, if someone searches “Tampa lawyer”, the search engine is looking for phrases such as “Tampa divorce lawyer”, “Tampa personal injury lawyer”, and “Tampa car accident lawyer”.

The issue with DIY SEO is that there are many rules beyond just the basics – digital marketers take hours of classes on the subject, which many business owners do not have time for. The best option is to hire a professional web designer to handle the SEO on your website for you.

2) Company Blog

A blog on your website (like the one you’re reading here!) is a great way to reach out to clients. Blogs serve a couple functions for businesses.

One is that it proves that the business is knowledgeable, which holds weight with consumers. It helps your open your business up to potential customers without communicating with them directly. If you build an effective company blog, you can prove your trustworthiness and expertise to people before they speak to you or any employees.

This openness means that the overall experience of working with your business is a more positive one, and leads to more good reviews and a stress-free interaction for employees and the customer.

3) Social Media

In an age where “social media influencer” is a rapidly expanding job market, and it is rare to find people without a smart phone, the importance of a strong social media presence cannot be overstated.

The two most important factors in social media marketing are consistency and unity. There needs to be a set schedule for posts across all of the forms of social media that you use. Unity can be achieved by picking a color scheme that is consistent with your logo and relying on templates for posts.

4) Email Marketing

Email newsletters are a great way to reach out to past and present customers. Sending people emails is a gentle reminder of the work your business did for them.  If they need similar work done again, your business will be the first one on their mind.

It also serves to update them on any new information that your business may have. Are you offering a new service? Want to celebrate your employee of the month? Sharing upcoming discounts or specials? All of that can go into your email newsletter!