Weekly Wrap - Jose Espinosa, director of digital marketing, Connect Group
Jose Espinosa, Connect group’s director of digital marketing, explains the importance of the company website as an online platform.
However for one Midlands-based digital marketing specialist, it’s businesses that should be thrusting their digital hygiene to the top of the agenda.
Mexican American Jose Espinosa, Connect group’s director of digital marketing. has been with the 120-strong marcomms specialist for the last two years and before this spent the last 20 years actively contributing his digital marketing expertise to blue chip companies such as Ford Motor Company, National Semiconductor, Motorola and Sun Microsystems.
One myth that Jose is keen to dispel to businesses is that their only web presence is via their own company website. “Let’s face it. Digital marketing is now so much more than just having a website. Customers now expect to find the majority of information on a product or service online.”
According to Jose, what businesses need to realise is that above and beyond their own company’s website, it’s every other website globally that users visit either before or after the corporate site that people need to be keeping updated with the very latest and accurate information.
“It takes more than just SEO to shift your audience’s mindset,” says Jose. “You have to put your message in front of them at every point in the digital journey. This will include targeting social and crowd-sourced networks and ensuring the brand is heard and seen.
“Developing a sustainable audience is highly dependent on creating a conversation. Word of mouth is powerful – and can be done just as effectively online. My advice to businesses is don’t just tell your visitors how great your museums are; let them tell each other how great they are.”
Jose says that websites should not just be an information source. “Websites should be developed and managed with one thing in mind – conversions. Our job as digital specialists is to focus on converting visitors to your website into customers by ensuring that users are “sign posted” to the next logical step – be that making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or downloading a brochure.”
One important point is to create a post site visit communication strategy, which is a must for repeat visitors.
Jose says: “Leverage what you know about your visitors to communicate to them with relevant information. Track users’ clickstream/preferences to send them targeted information – one newsletter does NOT fit all and you should create content for specific users to achieve the best results and return on investment.”
If businesses start talking to the digital world outside their own website, the opportunities are endless.