Having a broad digital reach is crucial for your brand’s success. But what can you do to grow it? Emulent ‘s digital marketing pros compiled five strategies to help you increase your digital reach. Read on to learn how.
The terms “reach” and “impressions” are often used interchangeably. However, these metrics track two different sets of data. Impressions measure the number of times content appears before a user. Your reach indicates the number of people who have seen your content; your digital reach provides a more accurate understanding of how many users see and engage with your content and brand.
For example, let’s say you publish content that 100 individuals see. Then, the following week, you post another piece of content that the same 100 people view. In this scenario, you have two hundred impressions, but your digital reach is 100 because 100 unique individuals saw your content.
Digital reach measures audience volume. Using this data, you can create strategies to meet business goals and forecast your performance.
Consistently Publish Content
All the internet is content: long-form articles, how-to pieces, podcasts, videos, infographics: everything we see online is content. So when users enter search terms, they’re looking for solutions you can provide them through content they can understand and digest.
The key for your brand is to ensure users see the content you work so hard to create. You can accomplish this in two ways: consistent publishing and quality product.
When you publish content, Google’s crawlers scan and index it – as long as it meets the minimum requirements of their quality standards. It later uses that data to determine its usefulness and relevance to its users. The higher the quality of your content and the more frequently you publish that high-quality content, the greater the likelihood that your pages will earn higher SERP rankings.
High rankings in Search are paramount to your success and the expansion of your reach. Content publication plays a significant role here, but the content will only take you so far, as we’ll see below.
Focus on SEO
High search rankings are necessary if you want to expand your digital reach. Nearly a third of users click the first organic result in Google Search. The CTR plummets in second and third positions with 15 percent and 11 percent click-through rates. The tenth position in Google Search sees only a 2.5 percent CTR.
We know rankings are key. But how can you earn them? As discussed above, the content will drive users to your site. And optimizing that content –– and your pages –– for SEO empowers you to earn higher rankings and increase your reach.
Your business goals shape your SEO strategy. Knowing what you want to accomplish informs how you do it. Identifying your target audience provides a framework for your SEO at every step.
Regarding SEO, Reach relates to the number of keywords your website ranks for. This number can be pulled from tools like SEMrush. To boost your SEO reach, you must know your audience, what they’re searching for, and how to structure your SEO around user needs. SEO expands your reach, especially your organic reach.
Social media connects brands to untapped audiences not only locally but globally as well. Maintaining an active, engaging social media presence helps you increase your reach and connect with users.
The Pew Research Center found that nearly two-thirds of Americans use at least one social media platform. Different social channels attract different demographics, and each accomplishes unique purposes.
Reach, in regards to social media, is best defined by shares, reposts, etc. – anything that gets your content into other people’s communities of followers. By understanding your target audience and where they spend their time online, you can create social media channels that cater to their needs and interests. All the while, those same channels allow you to reach new audiences and broaden your reach.
As we discussed above, users come online to find solutions to their problems. Establish yourself as an authority in your industry or field to increase traffic and reach. The most well-known brands have built trust within their community by presenting authoritative content.
Cultivating your reputation doesn’t happen overnight and won’t happen through one platform or avenue. Publishing informative, helpful content is a great way to get your audience’s attention. But to truly establish yourself as an authority, you’ll need to take things a step further:
Guest blog
Guest blogging on popular sites within your industry or in markets adjacent to your industry exposes your brand to an entirely new audience. Additionally, the more you publish on different sites and platforms, the more trust and authority you cultivate.
Speaking engagements
Speaking engagements allow you to present yourself as an expert in your field, whether at a conference, a digital roundtable, or anywhere in between. Whether you’re giving a lecture or speech or dialoguing with other authorities in your market, these events allow you to display your knowledge and skill set.
Content that goes beyond blogging
Your audience consumes content nearly every waking hour. You’re not relegated to blogs, as effective as they may be; content opportunities have expanded beyond site blogs.
Podcasts, e-books, infographics with original research: all these avenues allow you to display your authority while engaging a new audience.
You broaden your digital reach when you establish yourself as an authority, especially when you do so through a variety of platforms.
Think Long-Term Branding over Short-Term Conversions
Your goal for your business might be to increase conversions immediately. However, it would be best to focus on your long-term plans to expand your digital reach and see sustained growth.
Brands have access to many tools that track the conversions and profitability of certain products. That might incentivize you to focus on your conversions. But your business will be most profitable and successful when you have the time and space to craft a brand identity meticulously.
At Emulent, we bring 20 years of SEO, content strategy, and website design experience to help you build your brand and increase your digital reach. Reach out to our team to begin the conversation today.