In today’s world, companies are eagerly seeking out savvy marketers – the modern-day storytellers – to breathe life into their narratives and expand their customer base. Imagine a company as a book – every book has its unique story, and the power of that story captivates its readers, or in this case, their customers. The more compelling the story, the stronger the bond with their existing customers and the greater their appeal to prospects. The role of a marketer is not just to tell the story but also to make it resonate with the audience using a blend of dynamic marketing strategies.
The marketing world is thirsty for a special kind of talent: individuals who love crunching numbers and analyzing data as much as they thrive on the spontaneity of creative thinking. This blend of skills is what truly makes a marketer shine.
And it could be you.
A career in marketing can give you about $63,900 (as a market research analyst), $119,900 (as public relations and fundraising manager), and $135,000 (as a marketing manager), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you’re interested, a 22-month Integrated Marketing Communication course from St. Bonaventure University may be all you need to make the career change to marketing. This accredited course explores the dynamics of marketing for contemporary use, and it can help you land rewarding roles at the companies of your dreams.
Now that you understand how lucrative the marketing industry is, what are essential marketing types and strategies, and how do industries use them?
Seven most popular and in-demand marketing strategies
The types of marketing are as varied as the industries they serve. Here are the seven most popular marketing strategies:
Content marketing
Companies of all sizes utilize this strategy to provide real value to target audiences through carefully-crafted content that serves their needs and interests. They take a consumer-centric approach that focuses on high-quality and meaningful content to inform, educate, entertain, or inspire their target audience.
In return for the valuable content provided, consumers reciprocate by trusting the brand, engaging with their content to promote it, and eventually buying from the brand. Content from content marketing efforts includes informative blog articles, engaging videos, in-depth eBooks, eye-catching infographics, thought-provoking podcasts, and insightful webinars.
Social Media Marketing (SMM)
SMM involves using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest to promote a company’s products or services. Companies often identify which social platforms their target audience frequents the most. After identifying the right platforms, they craft engaging content tailored to those channels so their posts can rank on their target audience’s feeds. The content created can be posts, stories, tweets, photos, videos, or even live interactions; it all depends on which content type the audience engages with the most.
For instance, writing text without attractive videos or pictures on Instagram would be a waste. In the same way, attractive photos on Pinterest without keywords or a bit of detail for context would be a waste. The key is to create content that promotes the brand and encourages users to interact with it through likes, shares, comments, and other social media actions. What makes SMM better is that it’s a two-way street. Companies can create content and communicate directly with their audience, respond to inquiries, address concerns, and appreciate their support. This two-way interaction fosters a sense of community around the brand and boosts customer engagement.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is a critical marketing strategy that enhances a website’s visibility in organic search results on search engines like Google. SEO aims to draw more unpaid, or “organic,” traffic to the company website to increase the brand’s digital presence.
How does SEO work? Search engines have bots that crawl pages on the internet. They go from site to site to collect information about those pages and place them in an index. Then, algorithms analyze pages in the index and account for ranking factors/signals that determine the order pages should appear in the search results for a given query. The query could be “best shoes for Christmas.” Businesses in the fashion and retail industry then need to create effective SEO tactics to be one of the ranking websites for the keywords.
This is why an effective SEO includes on-page optimization and off-page SEO. On-page optimization is where you ensure each website page has relevant keywords, title tags, and meta descriptions. Off-page SEO is where you engage in strategies such as backlinking and promotion of the website or blog via social media or in authority sites. These would help enhance the value attributed to a website or a page and boost the authority (which in turn makes it rank more).
Email marketing
This digital marketing strategy involves sending emails to prospects and customers to promote the business, increase awareness, and promote loyalty and trust. This can range from promotional emails that announce a sale, transactional emails that confirm a purchase, or even educational emails that provide valuable content to subscribers. The key to effective email marketing is segmentation. This means categorizing the email list based on specific traits like demographics or past purchase behavior to deliver more personalized content. With a well-segmented list, companies tailor their messaging to match different groups’ unique needs and preferences. This helps increase the efficiency of their campaigns.
Influencer marketing
This strategy involves partnering with influential people, often on social media, to promote products or services. Influencers have built a reputation and trust with their followers, and this makes their endorsement a powerful marketing tactic. If you’re a company seeking an influencer, here’s how it works:
First, you identify an influencer whose audience aligns with your target market. This person could be a celebrity, an industry expert, or an individual with a large social media following. Once you’ve found the right influencer, send a text or invite them for a meeting. Talk to them about a collaboration to promote your product or service. This collaboration could take the form of a sponsored post, a product review, or a guest appearance on your brand’s channel. Once the influencer believes in your authenticity and is interested, sign a contract to legalize the arrangement.
The efficiency of this marketing strategy lies in leveraging their audience’s trust for your good. All you need is a compelling message that sells your products and services, and you may significantly increase brand awareness through the strategy. It’s the same strategy Nike used with Michael Jordan, which led to a new line of sneakers named “Air Jordans.” This strategic move increased Nike’s visibility and redefined athletic footwear, and it kick-started a new era in branded product collaborations.
Video marketing
Imagine video marketing as the electrifying rockstar on the digital stage; it steals the spotlight to showcase products or services. It also helps enlighten customers and connect with the right crowd across digital and social channels. A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is a whole novel. As today’s audience leans toward visual content, video marketing helps you create visual content that echoes the essence of your brand and strikes a chord with the viewers. It’s like making a cinematic masterpiece, but instead of fictional characters, you have real products or services taking center stage. Your video could be anything from a riveting product demo, a helpful step-by-step guide into a process, an insider’s peek at the company’s behind-the-scenes activities, heartfelt customer reviews, or even real-time live broadcasts.
Public Relations (PR)
Public Relations, or PR, is like the diplomatic envoy in the world of communication; it weaves fruitful relationships between businesses and the public. It’s not just a job; it’s an art – the art of persuasion that’s crafted to buff and shine the company’s image while building a sturdy bridge to its audience. PR is a medley of assorted activities such as engaging press releases, charismatic public appearances, attention-grabbing media events, and the effective management of social media platforms. Those who excel in PR are true maestros of the audience; they understand their likes and dislikes and create stories that communicate with audiences through appropriate channels.
Now that you know these, which industries use each marketing strategy the most?
Six popular industries and applicable marketing strategies
Different industries have unique marketing needs. Here are six popular sectors and the marketing strategies most suitable to each:
Healthcare
One of the most essential strategies in the healthcare industry is content marketing. Content marketing allows healthcare providers to share accurate, reliable, and practical health-related information. They do this through blog posts about preventive care, guides on managing certain health conditions, and informative videos explaining complex medical procedures. As healthcare can often be complex and confusing, quality content helps demystify these topics for patients so they understand each health challenge they may be facing.
Another effective marketing strategy is PR, which helps manage the public image of the providers. The sensitivity of healthcare requires effective PR strategies to manage crises, shape public perception, and maintain the trust and confidence of the public. The last strategy that is most effective for the industry is email marketing. It allows healthcare providers to communicate directly with their patients easily. Email marketing is also used for appointment reminders, tips, or important health alerts. It adds a personal touch to the provider’s marketing activities and makes the patient feel valued and cared for.
Technology
SEO is a crucial marketing strategy in the tech industry. Tech-powered consumer products and services can be complex, and prospects always want to learn by turning to search engines. They also understand what’s best for them by comparing different products on search engines. The company with the most informative content that ranks online may win the heart of the readers (which is why SEO is important in the tech industry). By optimizing their websites and content for search engines, tech companies ensure they appear in these searches to enhance visibility, organic traffic, and the chances of conversions and sales.
Content marketing is another essential strategy for tech companies. It allows them to explain complex tech concepts in simple dictions that the audience understands. It also helps them inform their audience about their latest innovations and how they solve real-world problems. All of this help build trust and encourage customer loyalty in the long-term.
Finally, social media marketing provides tech companies with a platform to engage directly with consumers. Companies use social media to showcase their latest products, share news and updates, and even provide customer service. All these allow tech companies to show a more human side, which can help build stronger relationships with their customers.
Financial services
Public Relations (PR) is one strategy that plays a significant role in shaping the public image of financial service providers. Trust in financial services is crucial, and PR activities such as press releases, public appearances, and effective crisis management schemes help maintain a positive image of the company. All these help them build a stronger reputation and instill confidence among their clients and the public.
Content marketing, meanwhile, allows financial service providers to position themselves as authoritative and trustworthy sources of financial information. Given the complexity of financial topics such as investments, budgeting, and financial planning, they provide clear, reliable, and helpful content through blogs, guides, or webinars. This helps them foster trust and empower their clients to make informed decisions without directly reaching out to them with every inquiry. This strategy also helps them become a thought leader in their industry.
The last commonly-used strategy for this industry is email marketing. It provides a direct line of communication between financial service providers and their clients. Email marketing does this through regular updates on market trends, personalized financial advice, and updates on services that companies share with their clients. This helps them maintain a strong relationship with clients; clients continue to feel valued without losing significant information about the industry.
Food and beverage
Social media marketing is one marketing strategy that allows food and beverage brands to showcase their offerings in a highly-visual and engaging way. Instagram, for instance, is a popular platform for sharing appetizing photos and creative presentations of dishes and drinks. This piques potential customers’ interest and helps create a vibrant and attractive brand image. Restaurants can also use social media to promote special offers, announce new menu items, and engage directly with their customers through comments and direct messages.
Influencer marketing is another powerful tool in this industry. Food and beverage companies can partner with influencers who have a significant following. The partnership could involve an influencer visiting a restaurant and sharing their experience or creating appealing content around a particular food or drink. Given the trust that followers have in their favorite influencers, this can significantly boost brand visibility and reputation.
Video marketing – particularly through platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and others – offers food and beverage companies an engaging way to showcase their products. The videos could be a behind-the-scenes video of some delicacies, tours of the restaurant, cooking demos, taste tests, and reviews of new culinary trends. These videos are entertaining, and they often help customers feel more connected to the brand.
Education
Content marketing is one of the most effective tools in the education sector. Educational institutions can produce and distribute informative content that provides value to students and parents. This content might range from helpful study tips and course information to advice on navigating the college admissions process. Not only does this content serve to educate and assist, but it also positions the institution as a trusted and authoritative source of information.
Public Relations (PR) is also a critical marketing strategy for the education sector. Given the sensitivity of student affairs, educational institutions must maintain strategies to help enhance their reputation. This helps to ensure that the public perception aligns with the institution’s values and mission.
Lastly, social media marketing gives educational institutions a platform to engage directly with their community. Schools and universities can use social media to share updates, celebrate achievements, and engage in conversations with students, parents, and alums. It’s a direct, immediate, and personal way to connect and communicate.
Real estate
Video marketing is a strategy that allows realtors to showcase their properties in a dynamic and immersive way. Through virtual tours, potential buyers can get a complete, realistic sense of the property. Videos can include details about the layout, the room size, the finishes, the views, and other basic information people want to know before indicating interest in a property. This is especially important in a post-pandemic world, where remote and virtual experiences are not only convenient but often necessary.
Social media marketing is another strategy that helps realtors advertise their listings to a broad audience. Social media allows realtors to share stunning photos and videos of properties and engage with potential buyers. The two-way communication facilitated by social media makes it easy for realtors to respond to queries, take feedback, and build relationships which helps humanize the brand.
Conclusion
The marketing “industry” is a diverse field with various strategies to reach audiences across different industries. All you need to do is to understand these strategies and how they apply to the industry where you work or the industry of your clients. It’s easy to learn more about these strategies by reading up about them or practicing them. For instance, if you’re interested in video marketing, learn to create video content and get familiar with video editing software to improve your abilities. This will set you up for success when you eventually work for companies that need your video editing abilities to create content that resonates with their audience.
