Tips for Digital Marketing on a Budget

Digital marketing has become essential to modern-day business, but sometimes paying someone to come up with a viable marketing plan can be extremely costly. It becomes important for business owners to sit down and consider their costs versus their budgets, and then how they can save money while remaining effective. It is possible to have a successful digital marketing campaign on a budget, and here are a few tips to help.

Time is Money

The most important thing for business owners to understand is that time is money. Every hour spent writing blog posts, posting and interacting on social media, editing web pages, or dealing with other content needs is time away from other tasks such as running the business. The best thing an owner can do is figure out their hourly rate, and then determine if adding the digital marketing to their plate is worth it, or if it is more cost-effective to hire a professional.

Consider the Budget

Before embarking on a marketing campaign, business owners need to be clear on the content they want or need. Once they know what they want, it's easier to make a budget, and trim it if necessary. Without having a detailed marketing calendar in place, business owners are likely to overspend on things they don't even want. For example, a business owner may want one blog post a week, one new tweet per day, and one unique newsletter a month. With that in mind, they can seek out bids for freelance writers and social media experts to take care of those tasks.

Hire a Freelancer

Business owners should look for writers who can also handle social media tasks, and may have other skills relevant to the owners industry. Sometimes owners can save money by hiring one person instead of two. It is also important for owners to keep in mind that although they have a budget, finding the cheapest freelancer may not necessarily be the most cost-effective scenario. Cheaper rates often mean cheaper work, so be sure to check samples and maybe ask them to complete a test before agreeing to hire them. On the plus side, if things don't work out, it's easier to part ways with a freelance employee than a regular employee.

Hold a Contest

One of the best ways a business owner can multiply marketing efforts and create buzz with his or her audience is by holding a contest. Offer up a small prize to users who can create the best info graphic, meme, or other visual advertisement to draw attention to the website or business. It is important to keep in mind that those entering the contest probably do so for fun, or because of a hobby so it may not be something an owner uses regularly, but the contest will generate interest and draw people in, which was the whole point in the first place.

Start an Internship Program 

Many colleges require students to complete an internship in certain fields, and students are a great resource for understanding the ins and outs of social media and digital marketing. Businesses near college campuses should set up an internship and allow students to revamp the website and social media platforms, as well as write copy for blogs, newsletters, and sales sheets. Whatever copy needs a business may have, an educated intern can breathe new life into digital marketing, and it's a win-win for everyone.

Digital marketing can be an overwhelming practice, and it is difficult to keep up with the rapidly occurring changes. However, content marketing does not require a business to drain its bank account to get ahead. There are options to make it more affordable, and to keep it off the business owner's plate. The most important thing for a business owner to decide is what kind of content they want, how often they want it, and then to budget accordingly. Preparation is key to success in the digital marketing world.

source : http://www.articlesbase.com/social-marketing-articles/5-tips-for-digital-marketing-on-a-budget-7120448.html