10 Nashville Internet Marketing Trends

With Nashville’s tourism market at an all-time high, we thought it might be worth noting 10 Nashville internet marketing trends to watch. Getting involved in current internet marketing trends could mean the difference between your business making a profit and going into the red. Up your game by looking out for these 10 internet marketing trends:

1) Video Marketing

With the number of tech businesses in Nashville steadily climbing, it makes sense for business owners to include video in their marketing strategy. As business leader Angus Andrew says, “The play button is becoming the most compelling call-to-action on the web.” Why is this? Experts believe that video marketing content is more appealing to people than written content, because of its entertainment value. It also allows tech companies and other businesses to show their customers, and potential customers, what they have to offer and what they are working on to build excitement. It’s a common misconception that video marketing is out of reach for small businesses; the fact is, it’s easier now than ever to create videos for the web with apps such as Magisto and Vimeo.

2) Social Networking Tools

Social networking sites are invaluable marketing tools, because they enable professionals to connect with each other worldwide. Networking sites, such as LinkedIn, give Nashville employers the opportunity to connect with people who could be potential candidates for a job. It’s important for small businesses to take part in social networking sites to spread the word about their growing company. If a business makes dozens of professional connections online, it will increase word-of-mouth and consequently, sales.

3) Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook have become leaders of current marketing trends, and the numbers don’t seem to be going down any time soon. The reason is simple: Customers like to be treated like people. Social media sites enable businesses to connect with the customers on a personal level. People are sick of in-your-face advertisements and pushy calls-to-action – they want to see that your business has a human behind it, and jumping on board with social media platforms is the perfect way to show that.

4) Facebook Pay Per Click (PPC)

More than 1 billion people are currently active on Facebook. With those kinds of numbers, it’s no wonder Nashville business owners have begun to take advantage of the Facebook Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign. PPC is an internet advertising model used on websites. It’s different from other advertising campaigns because PPC advertisers only pay their host when their ad is clicked. More and more people are turning toward Facebook PPC because it allows business owners to keep track of how much they want to spend on advertising on a day-to-day basis.

5) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Every small business should be concerned with their market’s SEO. For those who haven’t heard of it, search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of getting website traffic through “natural” or “organic” results that have been earned by the website in real time. Payment isn’t involved, unlike paid search ads, so SEO cannot be changed based on a business’ budget. There are many reasons your small business should invest in SEO – it promotes readability, user-friendliness, and the overall success of your website.

6) Mobile Optimization

People are spending more and more time on mobile devices each year. Studies have shown that mobile media time has exceeded desktop and other media time. Ensuring that you take full advantage of the booming mobile optimization market can be a key factor in the success of your business. Mobile optimization is applied to your business’s website to ensure its design, page layout, download speed, and other factors are all working to their fullest extent. In today’s world, a business whose website doesn’t translate well onto a mobile device signals to customers that the business may be behind the times.

7) Blogs

What is commonly referred to in the digital realm as the “blogosphere” is an important internet marketing trend to be a part of in Nashville. Blogging promotes an up-to-date, progressive feel for your business’s website and allows customers to be notified continuously about what your business is currently promoting, selling, studying, etc. The best business blogs, such as the popular blog for the Owner Media Group, focus on informing their customers based on what interests them. Blogs are meant to show your customers that your small business is interested in its customers and that your business is relevant.

8) Content Marketing

If you haven’t already, now is the time to jump on the content-marketing bandwagon. Small businesses have seen a generous upsurge in business after paying more attention to the content of their web pages. It may seem obvious, but with better content comes more readers. Websites that offer smart, engaging content and valuable information, like the ever-popular how-to articles, get an increase in website traffic, which of course leads to more business. Gone are the days when a business website can be business only – it’s time to embrace an age of truly interesting content.

9) Email Marketing

Email marketing is making a significant comeback – in the last few years, small businesses have wised up to the fact that people don’t read redundant emails. Instead, businesses are sending emails that are full of content that their customers actually want to read. Much like content marketing, email marketing is becoming more about connecting with customers, not just another sales pitch.

10) Wearable Technology

Places like Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center are promoting a sense of technological growth throughout the local business sphere. In this era of tech growth, the Number 1 most predicted trend for 2016 is wearable technology. This includes devices such as the Apple watch and Xiaomi, which allow the user to wear the device they’re using. Wearable technology has been on the upswing due to easy of use, a heightened sense of fashion, and being able to combine technological devices to be more productive.