Google Digital Marketing
Take a business online
MODULE 1: The online opportunity
Things to consider
- Scope: Web – Mobile – Social
- Technology & Content
- Cost & Time (budget & schedule)
Review section, videos, online advertisements... opportunities are endless!
Set priorities: clear objectives
Analytics: measure progress along the way
Identify opportunities to reach these goals
What works well and what can be tweaked
Building digital presence using different channels
Local listings (Google My Business; https://www.google.co.uk/business/)
Mobile apps (Reminders, loyalty programs)
Social media
E-mail
Paid search
So: Don’t necessarily need to start with a website
State your claim online – but can be done anywhere.
MODULE 2: Your first steps in online success
Social & e-mail: engage with existing customers (e.g. feedback)
Search engine: show business in results using the right keywords (most relevant words to
your business)
SEO: search engine optimisation, unpaid search results
SEM: search engine marketing, paid add space
o Search engine advertisement: Auction system – bid on the keywords
o Display advertisements: appear everywhere online (e.g. next to a recipe)
Google Keyword Planner: https://ads.google.com/intl/nl_NL/home/
Bing Keyword research: https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/keyword-
research-628070b6
E-mail marketing: relevant information and offers to people who signed up/opted in
Coupons
Advertise event
Promote sale items
Long term: Gear your digital plan towards the long haul
, Setting realistic expectations
o Don’t expect too much too soon
o Takes time for search engines to find you
Tracking your results
o Analytics
Where are customers coming from = which marketing campaigns are
working
What are customers doing on your website = Is your investment
working?
Adapt to changes in technology and your industry
o New tools, technologies and tactics
o Combine basic concepts with new trends
A good plan will consider three things
1. Know your online goals & set realistic expectations
2. Use analytics to track and measure what you are doing & how it is working
3. Keep up to date and adapt to changes in technology and the industry you are
working in (stay flexible!)
MODULE 3: Build your web presence
Choosing your online presence
Website
Local listings (Google my Business, Bing; usually free)
Review sites (Feedback & responses)
Social media
Mobile apps
What do you want your customers to do? -> Create a home that helps accomplish these
goals
How websites work
Website = equal to physically renting the space to house in (e.g. have your bakery
Server = you are not renting your space on the highstreet, but on a server
o Computer connected to the internet with software that allows it to
store/host pieces of your website (code, images, clips, etc.)
, o Called server because it “serves up” the content when requested
o You pay an ongoing hosting fee (“rent”)
o Every server has an IP address – chain of numbers
Domain name = Web address
o How potential customer will find it (“sign above the door”)
o www.businessname.com = domain name
o Any device that searches for this address communicates with the server,
which sends the correct information to this device
What happens when you type in this address?
o Browser figures out which server holds the content & heads over there to ask
for the right elements
o Server sends the images, scripts, files, etc.
o Browser puts everything together so that you see the nicely formatted
webpage
A server hosts your site, and a domain name helps people to find it
Key website ingredients
Name (domain name)
o Is it available? Search for domain Registrar & check
o Short, relevant and to the point (easy to remember)
o .com/.uk/.org/etc. if the one you want is available
The website’s organisation
o Homepage = 1st page they see (“shop window”) – explain what you are all
about
o Navigation: explore the rest of the website (menu at top/side)
Group content together in ways that make sense
Use website templates / look at other websites
About us/contact us/etc.
Should appear on every part of your site
Text, photos and other interactive elements
o Text and images as hyperlinks
o Forms, maps, shopping baskets
Websites and your business goals
Website needs to meet your businesses’ needs and those of your customers
o Think like a customer and design accordingly, while not losing sight of your
own goals
Examples
o Customers might be looking to contact you > Put phone number in a very
visible location, encourage to call, make contact page easy to find – allow
mobile customers to call in one click
o OR that you are qualified > put licenses in an easy to find place
Content (words on the pages)
o Much more than just a sales pitch
o Avoid technical jargon and boasting
, o Emphasise that you can meet the needs of customers by solving a problem
they have – what can you do to help? > engaging & helpful
o Confident tone, but not intimidating
o Tell a story to help connect (e.g. testimonials/reviews)
o Customers may scan! Images, headlines & clear navigation
Make your website easy to use
Providing simple & clear navigation
o Organisation of sections should make sense
o Search bar in same place on every page
o Logo should link back to homepage
Creating a consistent lay-out
o Fonts, images and design elements
o Colour: not too bold – dark text over light background
o Don’t make people scroll down too far
o Headers & bullet lists
Writing relevant and effective content
o Write for your audience
o No jargon if you don’t write for academics
o Call to action: help understand what to do next
Call now/get directions/buy now
TIP: Study someone navigating your website, is it clear to them?
Website design do’s and don’ts
o Quick-loading pages
Smaller images, ditch large, high-resolution files if they are only going
to appear as thumbnails
Simplify your design, e.g., same background image on every page and
efficient code and script
o Mobile friendliness
Build it that way from the start
Responsive design: detects device being used and shows content
accordingly
Google’s mobile friendly test tool
Make sure your components respond to specific inputs (e.g., swiping
or tapping)
Use widely recognised icons (e.g., phone for contact)
Easy to give a ring
Different browsers (safari, chrome) and platforms (windows/mac): do
test runs
No need to download plug-ins
o General accessibility
Not only for selling, but also for solving
MODULE 4: Plan your online business strategy
Take a business online
MODULE 1: The online opportunity
Things to consider
- Scope: Web – Mobile – Social
- Technology & Content
- Cost & Time (budget & schedule)
Review section, videos, online advertisements... opportunities are endless!
Set priorities: clear objectives
Analytics: measure progress along the way
Identify opportunities to reach these goals
What works well and what can be tweaked
Building digital presence using different channels
Local listings (Google My Business; https://www.google.co.uk/business/)
Mobile apps (Reminders, loyalty programs)
Social media
Paid search
So: Don’t necessarily need to start with a website
State your claim online – but can be done anywhere.
MODULE 2: Your first steps in online success
Social & e-mail: engage with existing customers (e.g. feedback)
Search engine: show business in results using the right keywords (most relevant words to
your business)
SEO: search engine optimisation, unpaid search results
SEM: search engine marketing, paid add space
o Search engine advertisement: Auction system – bid on the keywords
o Display advertisements: appear everywhere online (e.g. next to a recipe)
Google Keyword Planner: https://ads.google.com/intl/nl_NL/home/
Bing Keyword research: https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/keyword-
research-628070b6
E-mail marketing: relevant information and offers to people who signed up/opted in
Coupons
Advertise event
Promote sale items
Long term: Gear your digital plan towards the long haul
, Setting realistic expectations
o Don’t expect too much too soon
o Takes time for search engines to find you
Tracking your results
o Analytics
Where are customers coming from = which marketing campaigns are
working
What are customers doing on your website = Is your investment
working?
Adapt to changes in technology and your industry
o New tools, technologies and tactics
o Combine basic concepts with new trends
A good plan will consider three things
1. Know your online goals & set realistic expectations
2. Use analytics to track and measure what you are doing & how it is working
3. Keep up to date and adapt to changes in technology and the industry you are
working in (stay flexible!)
MODULE 3: Build your web presence
Choosing your online presence
Website
Local listings (Google my Business, Bing; usually free)
Review sites (Feedback & responses)
Social media
Mobile apps
What do you want your customers to do? -> Create a home that helps accomplish these
goals
How websites work
Website = equal to physically renting the space to house in (e.g. have your bakery
Server = you are not renting your space on the highstreet, but on a server
o Computer connected to the internet with software that allows it to
store/host pieces of your website (code, images, clips, etc.)
, o Called server because it “serves up” the content when requested
o You pay an ongoing hosting fee (“rent”)
o Every server has an IP address – chain of numbers
Domain name = Web address
o How potential customer will find it (“sign above the door”)
o www.businessname.com = domain name
o Any device that searches for this address communicates with the server,
which sends the correct information to this device
What happens when you type in this address?
o Browser figures out which server holds the content & heads over there to ask
for the right elements
o Server sends the images, scripts, files, etc.
o Browser puts everything together so that you see the nicely formatted
webpage
A server hosts your site, and a domain name helps people to find it
Key website ingredients
Name (domain name)
o Is it available? Search for domain Registrar & check
o Short, relevant and to the point (easy to remember)
o .com/.uk/.org/etc. if the one you want is available
The website’s organisation
o Homepage = 1st page they see (“shop window”) – explain what you are all
about
o Navigation: explore the rest of the website (menu at top/side)
Group content together in ways that make sense
Use website templates / look at other websites
About us/contact us/etc.
Should appear on every part of your site
Text, photos and other interactive elements
o Text and images as hyperlinks
o Forms, maps, shopping baskets
Websites and your business goals
Website needs to meet your businesses’ needs and those of your customers
o Think like a customer and design accordingly, while not losing sight of your
own goals
Examples
o Customers might be looking to contact you > Put phone number in a very
visible location, encourage to call, make contact page easy to find – allow
mobile customers to call in one click
o OR that you are qualified > put licenses in an easy to find place
Content (words on the pages)
o Much more than just a sales pitch
o Avoid technical jargon and boasting
, o Emphasise that you can meet the needs of customers by solving a problem
they have – what can you do to help? > engaging & helpful
o Confident tone, but not intimidating
o Tell a story to help connect (e.g. testimonials/reviews)
o Customers may scan! Images, headlines & clear navigation
Make your website easy to use
Providing simple & clear navigation
o Organisation of sections should make sense
o Search bar in same place on every page
o Logo should link back to homepage
Creating a consistent lay-out
o Fonts, images and design elements
o Colour: not too bold – dark text over light background
o Don’t make people scroll down too far
o Headers & bullet lists
Writing relevant and effective content
o Write for your audience
o No jargon if you don’t write for academics
o Call to action: help understand what to do next
Call now/get directions/buy now
TIP: Study someone navigating your website, is it clear to them?
Website design do’s and don’ts
o Quick-loading pages
Smaller images, ditch large, high-resolution files if they are only going
to appear as thumbnails
Simplify your design, e.g., same background image on every page and
efficient code and script
o Mobile friendliness
Build it that way from the start
Responsive design: detects device being used and shows content
accordingly
Google’s mobile friendly test tool
Make sure your components respond to specific inputs (e.g., swiping
or tapping)
Use widely recognised icons (e.g., phone for contact)
Easy to give a ring
Different browsers (safari, chrome) and platforms (windows/mac): do
test runs
No need to download plug-ins
o General accessibility
Not only for selling, but also for solving
MODULE 4: Plan your online business strategy
