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Digital Marketing: Tools, Best Practices & Strategies

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Digital Marketing word board

In today’s digital age, businesses must have an online presence to stay competitive. Digital marketing refers to the use of digital channels to promote products or services to potential customers. The goal of digital marketing is to reach as many people as possible through various digital platforms, including social media, search engines, and email.

One of the primary benefits of digital marketing is that it is cost-effective. Compared to traditional advertising methods like television or print, digital marketing channels are much less expensive. Additionally, digital marketing allows businesses to target specific audiences, which can lead to higher conversion rates.

Digital Marketing Tools: A Comprehensive Guide

Digital marketing tools are essential for businesses that want to succeed in the online marketplace. There are many different tools available, each designed to help businesses achieve their marketing goals. In this section, we will explore some of the most popular digital marketing tools and how they can benefit a business.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic. It provides valuable insights into how visitors interact with your website, including information on their behaviour, demographics, and location. With this data, businesses can identify areas of their website that need improvement and adjust their marketing strategies accordingly.

SEMrush

SEMrush is a comprehensive digital marketing tool that offers a range of features, including SEO, PPC, and social media management. With SEMrush, businesses can conduct keyword research, analyse their competitors, and track their rankings on search engines. It also provides insights into social media performance and allows businesses to schedule and publish content on multiple platforms.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management tool that allows businesses to manage multiple social media accounts from a single dashboard. With Hootsuite, businesses can schedule and publish posts, track engagement metrics, and monitor brand mentions. It also offers collaboration features that allow multiple team members to manage social media accounts together.

Mail chimp

Mail chimp is an email marketing tool that enables businesses to design and send email campaigns to their subscribers. With Mail chimp, businesses can create customized templates, segment their audience, and track email performance metrics like open and click-through rates. It also offers integrations with other marketing tools like Shopify and Salesforce.

Canva

Canva is a graphic design tool that allows businesses to create professional-looking graphics and visual content. With Canva, businesses can design social media posts, infographics, and marketing materials like flyers and brochures. It offers a range of templates and design elements, making it easy for even non-designers to create high-quality graphics.

Buffer

Buffer is a social media scheduling tool that allows businesses to schedule and publish posts on multiple platforms. With Buffer, businesses can create a content calendar, schedule posts in advance, and track engagement metrics. It also offers analytics features that provide insights into post performance and audience engagement.

Google AdWords

Google AdWords is an advertising platform that allows businesses to create and display ads on Google search results pages. With AdWords, businesses can target specific keywords and audiences, set budgets and bids, and track ad performance metrics like click-through rates and conversion rates. It is an effective way for businesses to reach potential customers who are actively searching for their products or services.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs is an SEO tool that allows businesses to analyse their website’s backlink profile and track their rankings on search engines. It offers a range of features, including keyword research, site audits, and competitor analysis. With Ahrefs, businesses can identify opportunities to improve their SEO performance and stay ahead of their competitors.

smart insights essential digital marketing tools
smart insights essential digital marketing tools

Digital Marketing Best Practices

In addition to using digital marketing tools, businesses must also follow best practices to achieve their marketing goals. Below are some best practices that every business should consider when implementing a digital marketing strategy:

Define Your Goals and KPIs

Before starting any digital marketing campaign, businesses must define their goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). This will help them track their progress and determine whether their campaigns are successful. Some common goals and KPIs include website traffic, conversion rates, social media engagement, and email open rates.

Know Your Audience

To create effective digital marketing campaigns, businesses must know their audience. This includes understanding their demographics, interests, and online behaviours. By knowing their audience, businesses can tailor their marketing messages to resonate with them and increase the likelihood of conversions.

Create High-Quality Content

Content is king in digital marketing. Businesses must create high-quality content that provides value to their audience. This can include blog posts, videos, social media posts, and email newsletters. High-quality content can help businesses establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry and build trust with their audience.

Use Multiple Channels

To reach as many people as possible, businesses should use multiple digital marketing channels. This can include social media, search engines, email, and display advertising. By using multiple channels, businesses can reach potential customers at different stages of the buying journey and increase the likelihood of conversions.

Test and Optimise

Digital marketing is an iterative process. Businesses must constantly test and optimise their campaigns to improve their performance. This can include A/B testing different ad creatives, optimising landing pages, and tweaking email subject lines. By testing and optimising their campaigns, businesses can identify areas of improvement and increase their ROI (return on investment).

Digital Marketing Strategies

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of optimising a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). By ranking higher in search results, businesses can attract more organic traffic to their website. Some common SEO strategies include optimising on-page elements like title tags and meta descriptions, creating high-quality content, and building back-links.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC advertising involves placing ads on search engine results pages, social media platforms, and other websites. Furthermore Advertisers only pay when someone clicks on their ad. This can be an effective way to drive traffic to a website and generate leads. Some popular PPC platforms include Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook Ads.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing involves using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote a business’s products or services. By posting engaging content and interacting with followers, businesses can build a loyal following and increase brand awareness.

Email Marketing

Email marketing involves sending promotional messages to a list of subscribers. This can include newsletters, promotional offers, and product updates. By nurturing leads through email, businesses can increase the likelihood of conversions.

Content Marketing

Content marketing involves creating and distributing valuable content to attract and retain a target audience. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and whitepapers. By providing value to their audience, businesses can build trust and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.

Conclusion

As an aspiring digital marketing apprentice, it’s important to understand the various tools and strategies available to businesses in the digital marketing landscape. By familiarising yourself with the best practices and tools outlined in this article, you can develop the skills and knowledge necessary to help businesses improve their online presence, attract more leads, and ultimately drive conversions. Whether you’re interested in SEO, PPC advertising, social media marketing, or email marketing, there are many exciting opportunities available in the world of digital marketing. With dedication and hard work, you can become a skilled digital marketing professional and make a meaningful impact in the industry.

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Digital marketing word board
Digital marketing word board

Housing and Property Management Assistant Apprenticeship Level 2

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A Housing and Property Management Assistant Apprenticeship showing a family around a property.

What is a Housing and Property Management Assistant Apprenticeship? 

Firstly, an apprenticeship is education and a job side-by-side. Additionally, you will be gaining a qualification through education while earning a wage. A Housing and Property Management Assistant is a level 2 apprenticeship, which is equivalent to 5 GCSE’s. For this apprenticeship, you are responsible for supporting the administration, creation and sustainment of tenancies and leaseholds in the housing sector, both socially and privately.  

What do you learn? 

As part of this apprenticeship, you learn about communication, administration, as well as the regulations about housing and properties. Additionally, you will learn about the needs of communities, the importance of customer skills and how to deliver them appropriately. IT equipment and software will be a big part of the job, this will be taught during your apprenticeship, and you will be expected to demonstrate these skills in a portfolio for your End Point Assessment (EPA). It is essential that you gain knowledge in the organisation and industry to complete this apprenticeship. Not only will you learn about the customer service side, but you will also learn all the codes of practice, the legal frameworks, as well as the current and historical context of the housing market.  

What do you do on-the-job?  

Although each job role can be different, this position requires you to be a team player. You will often be working closely with colleagues in order to problem solve, take responsibility and plan work. There will be range of tasks to complete as part of your role, including: 

  • Paperwork organisation  
  • Customer surveys  
  • Telephone calls 
  • Arranging meetings 
  • Consultations  
  • Property surveys 
  • Data Administration 
  • Research 

How long is this apprenticeship?  

This apprenticeship is between 12 and 18 months long. Within your first 12 months you will be doing a combination of learning and working. Afterwards, when you have completed these 12 months, you move onto your EPA. Your EPA should take up to 3 months to complete. To learn more about what EPA consists of, read ‘What paths can you take after completing your apprenticeship’.  

What do you need to start this apprenticeship?  

In order to qualify for this apprenticeship, you should have a level 1 in both Maths and English. If you have not completed these before starting, you are expected to pass them by the end of your apprenticeship, as well as take the level 2 exams in Maths and English. However, If you have already achieved your level 1 in Maths and English before starting, you will continue on to the level 2 during your apprenticeship and gain these certificates alongside your level 2 in Housing and Property Management Assistant. 

What paths can you take after completing the Housing and Property Management Assistant Level 2? 

As part of this apprenticeship, you are required to complete an EPA to successfully pass. There are three components during your EPA. These are a case study, a portfolio of evidence that will be developed throughout the assessment process, and an interview. However, the interview will not count towards your overall grade but will confirm the evidence you have put forward. Finally, once you have finished this apprenticeship, you will gain either a ‘pass’ or ‘distinction’ level 2 certificate. Moreover, after completing your level 2, you can apply for the Level 3 Housing and Property Management Apprenticeship.  A level 3 is equivalent to two A-levels. This apprenticeship is typically 18-24 months long. However, if you would not like to move on to the level 3, your level 2 qualifications would lead you to job roles, such as: 

  • Resident involvement assistant 
  • Housing assistant 
  • Neighbourhood assistant 
  • Customer services assistant 
  • Housing administrator 
  • Lettings assistant 
  • Assistant property manager  
  • Lettings negotiator 
  • Revenues assistant 
  • Repairs assistant 

Find out what other apprenticeships we have on offer here!

What to Know – Level 6 Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship

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Are you looking to take your Retail Leadership skills to the next level?

Two females in a food store. One working behind the counter and assisting with the customer's products. Skills that can be developed using Level 6 Retail Leadership

Are you passionate about providing customer service that is consistently meeting customer’s expectations? Looking to inspire a team who will turn to you for advice and innovation? This Level 6 Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship gives you the opportunity to earn a degree in Retail Management whilst working with your own team of retail-based employees.

What are the requirements?

Each indiviual employer will be in charge of their selection criteria for the apprenticeships that they administer. However, if you have not yet achieved your Level 2 English and Maths then you will need to achieve this prior to taking the end-point assessment.

If you meet the requirements, what next?

You will have to ensure that you are aware of the skills that will be necessary to excel in this field! Employers will be looking for certain behaviours, such as inspirational leaders, those who challenge & innovate, and have a passion for Retail Sector. If you have retail experience, and love to motivate your team then you may be what employers are looking for. Read on to find out what skills you will be able to hone and develop.

Two males in a store. One helping the other with his purchase using a tablet. Skills that can be developed using Level 6 Retail Leadership

What are the skills that you will be able to develop with a Retail Leadership Degree Apprenticeship?

  • Retail Landscape: To be able to analyse and evaluate key economic and political trends, and understand how they impact upon the retail landscape. Consider the impact of different business models, including online retailing. Construct key business plans and be able to demonstrate clarity of thinking and decision making.
  • Retail product life cycle: Implement the link between product quality and customer satisfaction. Influence the design of the store/website based on current and customer buying pattens where necessary.
  • Retail innovation and the digital challenge: Evaluate the most effective methods of digital delivery and how they wil impact the product range. Understand the impact of new technology on the customer journey and experience.
  • Retail Marketing and the customer: Consistently apply the retail brand values and relay this onto your team. With research, construct a customer engagement/pricing strategy. By using data, analyse and predict the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including how the customer journey is impacted.
  • Retail Supply Chains: Assess the effectiveness of the overall supply strategy and approach of the business, determining which areas are ethical, sustainable and profitable. Anticipate future requirements for new products. Review the role of logistics, warehousing and transport operation within the retail business.
  • Retail Finance, Data and Management Information (MI): Review performance against key financial and performance data and ratios. Use consumer trend data, and sales MI to predict the reaction of customers, and respond accordingly. Articulate key business decisions, and how they link with overall performance.
  • The Impact of Change in Retail on our people: Allocate appropriate levels of resource to different methods of operation. Build teams, and empower and manage others to improve business performance. Utilise emotional and social intelligence to build and develop relationships both internally and externally. Demonstrate effective problem solving and time management skills, and an expert written and verbal communication style.

What qualification will I achieve after completion of the apprenticeship?

You will achieve a Level 6 degree in Retail Management, completing your degree through a university. You will also have around 4 years of retail management experience alongside achieving your degree.

What happens after my apprenticeship?

Each successful apprentice will have a unique outcome, but due to your commitment and hard work, your employer may offer you a permanent position post-apprenticeship. However, this is not always the case, but you will still have an industry recognised Level 6 degree with 4 years of valuable experience which will put you in a fantastic position for when you’re exploring new roles.

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