Some of America’s largest and most beloved brands have roots in Texas, and a big reason why they have endured in the hearts and minds of American consumers is their successful marketing strategies. Dr Pepper, Southwest Airlines, Dickies, Dell, and Whole Foods are just a few examples of Texan-born businesses that have grown through compelling advertising. And, in more recent years, their engaging digital and social media presences.
Texas Small Businesses Go Online
Most of Texas’s 2.5 million small businesses can’t afford the marketing strategies of airlines or international consumer goods and won’t be dropping a Super Bowl halftime commercial any time soon, but across the state, digital marketing strategies are giving local entrepreneurs a boost.
Digital marketing falls into two main categories: social media marketing and search engine optimization. The former refers to a brand’s online engagement with its consumer base, while the latter is a method of generating traffic for that brand’s website.
SEO is an incredibly cost-effective way of attracting online traffic: identifying the best keywords to attract internet users, creating content that corresponds to those keywords, streamlining the brand’s website to promote content derived from those keywords, and analyzing the results to improve keyword identification. Most Americans browse blogs, social media, and the internet to decide where to spend their money, so businesses cannot afford not to have an online presence.
Technology is Driving Online Tractions
Texas is becoming something of a start-up boom town, known as the “Silicon Hills”. The business of search engine optimization in Austin is having a big impact. For example, a top dog breeder in the state capital used SEO to reinvigorate their business after the recent economic downturn, and a child care marketing agency is offering their services to increase preschool enrollment in the city. Local SEO is playing a major role here, and businesses are fast catching on to how effective this form of marketing can be.
A Shift in Strategy
There is still much to be said for the effectiveness of traditional marketing strategies. A strategically placed radio or television advert can do wonders for attracting customers and putting a local business on the map, as can billboards and print media adverts as they convey authority and legitimacy.
But these have pitfalls, such as the high investment in production, and the fact that such adverts run in cycles. Once the advert has run its course, you’ll have to pay for more airtime or column inches. Digital marketing is considerably more cost effective, and Texas is fast catching on to its many advantages.
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