Posted by Researching startup marketing ideas for 2021 can be challenging—the world has changed significantly this year and it has impacted plans for the future.
But there are a few takeaways from the pandemic and how businesses have reacted to it that startups can learn from.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
Chief among them the fact that more people are online and there is increased competition to get consumers’ attention. This changes how marketers can encourage people to share content.
We have seven startup marketing ideas that will make it easier to grow your audience and your company in 2021 and beyond.
Startup Marketing Idea #1: Brand Your Documents
In a crowded online marketplace, standing out can be the hardest task for marketers. This is why branding your content and documents is one of the most important startup marketing ideas.
Look at resources explaining how to establish a brand for the online world—how to create a logo, brand colors, brand fonts, and a brand voice that makes you stand out.
Use these branded elements across all your content and materials, including official documents like letterheads, like this example—you can also learn how to make a letterhead online.
Source: Venngage
It takes time for consumers to recognize a brand—if your content doesn’t include visible brand elements, you could end up being confused with a competitor or missed entirely.
Startup Marketing Idea #2: SEO Content
Creating content that your audience can find also becomes a challenge—there is so much content being generated online that your posts can get drowned out.
That is why you need to prioritize SEO as a startup marketing idea for 2021. Your website, landing pages, blog content, and visuals need to be optimized for search engines.
To create SEO content, you need to do the following:
- Choose a keyword
- Use SEO page titles
- Incorporate your keyword in headers and throughout the text, without stuffing the copy
- Add alt-text for visuals
- Build internal links throughout your site content
But remember that SEO isn’t a quick fix—it takes planning and patience.
You won’t see your blog content on the first page overnight—you need to make connections and earn backlinks first.
The more you practice SEO, the better you will get at the process, and you will begin to see strong results.
Startup Marketing Idea #3: Visual Content
Visuals are a crucial startup marketing idea for 2021—imagery and videos arrest a user’s attention and give them the incentive to engage with your content.
Include images as often as you can in your content. Here are a few ways to incorporate visuals in your strategy:
- Blog headers and featured images
- Once every 300 words in your blog posts
- Social media posts
- Emails and newsletters
- Presentations
But images don’t need to be used solely to attract attention—you can also use them to tell a story.
You can use a diagram maker to design visual content like a step-by-step process to use your app, your product, or to understand a service, like in the example below.
Source: Venngage
Adopting this visual technique makes it easier for your audience to understand your story—which will give them a reason to engage with your brand again.
Startup Marketing Idea #4: Start a Podcast
Podcasting has taken over the world—particularly because more people are working from home but still want to be surrounded by human voices.
It is worth starting a podcast about your industry or to interview experts in your field—it’s a great way to showcase your company as a thought leader.
There are numerous podcast hosting sites—many of which won’t break your budget—that make it easier to share your podcast with your audience.
A podcast also allows you to sell merchandise, like mugs, posters, and t-shirts. You can use an online service like Designhill to create these products.
Startup Marketing Idea #5: Get Referrals
Referrals have become a startup marketing idea that yields results. Companies can create programs that encourage users to engage with the brand and advocate on its behalf.
Startups should ask their audience to leave reviews on social media and Google—prospective customers will look at these to determine whether they want to purchase from your brand.
Collect testimonials and feature them on your website. Conduct case studies on your top clients or marketing achievements to showcase the value you bring to customers.
Take inspiration from these referral programs, such as Airbnb, which offered users money to invite friends to the service, and grew their brand as a result.
Startup Marketing Idea #6: User-Generated Content
User-generated content is a great way to showcase your audience, while also saving time.
There are many benefits to incorporating user-generated content in your marketing strategy—primarily that you don’t need to create your own content.
You can gather images and videos from your followers and consumers via social media contests—or you can offer to feature their content, with credits and tags included.
Startup Marketing Idea #7: Virtual Events
It’s going to be a while before people are comfortable gathering in spaces together. This means networking opportunities like meetings and conferences are off the table.
But it doesn’t mean you can’t host meetings online. Virtual events are a great way to connect with your audience, showcase your team, and grow your business.
This startup marketing idea does require some investment—but buying equipment for virtual meetings is an acceptable marketing expense if it helps you reach your audience.
You will need a good video and audio setup as well as video conferencing tools. When you choose a webinar platform, pick one that has a comfortable user-interface and good reviews.
Hosting virtual meetings and conferences helps attract more consumers to your brand and taps into the online community that is already active.
Conclusion: Focus Your Startup Marketing Ideas on Enriching Consumers’ Lives
Startups are trying to grow and bring in revenue—but at the end of the day, the only way to boost your business is by adding value to your consumers’ lives.
Here are the top startup marketing ideas to pursue in 2021:
- Incorporate branding in your content
- Create SEO-focused content
- Add visuals to your content
- Start a podcast
- Get referrals
- Tap into users for content
- Host virtual meetings
Using these ideas, startups can boost their consumer base and begin building their business.
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