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Online Marketing Strategies

Updated January 1, 1 . AmFam Team

Understanding your audience and custom-crafting marketing strategies means jumping on board the digital marketing revolution. Take a look at these important tips to build a solid social media marketing strategy and gain insights into best practices by fine-tuning your messaging according to your audience type.

Use generational awareness to zero in on customers’ needs.


Companies focused on attracting new business are discovering X-Y-Z aren’t just the last letters of the alphabet. These letters represent generations of customers and the money they spend. When you consider updating your marketing strategies, zero in on multigenerational needs or your marketing tactics will fall on deaf ears.

“In an effort to launch and grow their businesses, owners often treat marketing as a nicety versus a necessity,” says Shani Godwin, president and CEO of Communiqué USA Inc (Opens in a new tab)., who clients include multibillion dollar companies like Chick-fil-A, Inc. “However, choosing not to dedicate time, resources, and money to growing your business early on can wreak havoc on your bottom line.”

As you explore innovative ways to bring attention to your business, incorporate these suggestions and take your business to the next level.

Take on a conversational tone. Millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers all have different views, attitudes, and needs. Your marketing efforts should include two-way conversations that keep each generation’s unique identity in mind. “Engaging with customers by joining online conversations and social media communities is an easy way to learn what matters most to them,” says Godwin. Then you can give them the services that they want while ensuring your connections are more honest and real.

Design content for mobile devices. “As customers become more connected, they also are becoming more mobile,” Godwin says. According to the market research firm Nielsen, millennials in particular are more likely to use mobile devices, with 85 percent of consumers aged18–24 and 86 percent of consumers aged 25–34 owning smartphones. Knowing this, making sure your website is easily accessible from mobile devices will not only ensure your customers have a positive interaction with your website, “but it will also build confidence in your brand,” Godwin adds. That could mean adjusting content so it can be easily navigated via a tablet or reducing the word count so smartphone users don’t have to keep scrolling down to read your site.

Make your website search-friendly. Your site is an important marketing tool. Make sure to strategically place key words, creative messages, fresh content and popular search terms on your website. Use language that customers of that age group use to describe products and services. Using appropriate terms and phrases will generate more hits on search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask and AOL. “The more relevant and dynamic your content is, the higher it will get ranked and the more easily your customers will find you,” says Godwin. “By adding fresh content such as a blog, articles, or videos, you can create a richer experience for your customers.”

Go digital with quick, frequent messaging. You can save time and dollars by ditching print-based marketing tactics and going digital. “Stop printing paper brochures, sales folders, and the like and start creating digital marketing tools like short 1–2 minute brand essence videos, digital newsletters, pdfs and branded capability presentations,” says Godwin. Without using a printer, you can increase the frequency of your messaging to your clients. As customers become inundated with more and more marketing messages, “short, simple and quick messages work best,” says Godwin.

Once you understand your audience and how different generations relate to your message, you can adjust your marketing plan to meet your customers where they are. “By ensuring you are aware of the latest marketing trends, not only will you attract new customers, but you will also establish your organization as a progressive, forward-thinking brand,” says Godwin. Getting up and running online will be a process that you fine tune over time. While you’re company is moving towards a more digital presence, consider reviewing and revising your business policy (Opens in a new tab) by contacting an American Family Insurance agent (Opens in a new tab). Once your covered, you’ll feel great knowing that all you’ve worked so hard for has been insured carefully.

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