Zero-click marketing, mastering the basics of marketing, and prioritising local SEO—these are some online marketing strategies you need to start exploring if you haven’t already.
Online marketing is becoming increasingly popular, as are competition and marketing dynamics. Currently, a good part of marketing funds is budgeted for digital channels, even as more marketers are investing more money in content marketing in 2025.
The first quarter of the year is almost over, and businesses are not slowing down in any part of the world. Neither is competition nor changing consumer behaviour. Relying on gut feelings or outdated tactics is no longer sustainable.
You need to make data-driven decisions to understand what resonates with your audience, optimize your campaigns for maximum impact, and achieve a strong return on investment.
Studies show that companies leveraging data-driven marketing are 6 times more likely to achieve a competitive advantage and report 20% higher operating margins. Here are five online marketing strategies to get you up on your feet:
5 Online Marketing Strategies You Need to Survive as a Business
1. Explore Zero-Click Marketing
Zero-click marketing focuses on providing immediate value directly within platforms, eliminating the need for users to click through to a website.
This phenomenon is increasingly prevalent, with two-thirds of all Google searches in 2024 ending without a click. Specifically, 58.5% of Americans engaged in zero-click searches in the same year, obtaining answers directly on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
This shift is driven by the following factors:
- Social Commerce Evolution: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram prioritize keeping users within their ecosystems, offering in-app purchase options and reducing the organic reach of posts with external links.
For instance, Instagram only allows links in bios for accounts with over one thousand followers, directly incentivizing on-platform engagement. - AI Advancements: With the rise of AI overviews and user adoption of AI chatbots, people can now often get their queries answered directly without navigating to external websites.
How can businesses and marketers explore zero-click marketing to beat the competition? This is where integrated online marketing strategies come in. We’ll discuss that in more light later.
2. Master the Basics of Marketing
We live in an era dominated by sophisticated AI marketing tools, but the fundamental principles of marketing remain critical. While AI can assist with various tasks, the core of effective marketing lies in creating compelling messages and strategically amplifying them.
These days, with rampant AI tools for their help, everybody thinks they can do marketing. The edge will not come from mastering AI tools; it will come from getting back to some basics and reevaluating the things that used to work. This is because, as big as AI is, what is more significant is understanding how to market to real people that pay.
This brings us to the principles of marketing, where we need to master the art of messaging and the proper use of channels and funnels.
This is like going back to marketing fundamentals to lay the proper foundations. Genuine marketing begins with research.
3. Prioritise Local Content in SEO
What is local content? Local content is unique and useful content created to drive traffic from a specific geographical area to your local business website.
Creating local content aims to promote your products or services to potential customers within a specific geographic area.
Why is this important? Local SEO is crucial for businesses with a physical presence, enabling them to connect with potential customers in their immediate geographic area.
Creating local content involves tailoring your online presence to resonate with the language, culture, and specific needs of your local audience.
According to Google, “Near me” searches have grown by over 500% in recent years, indicating a strong intent from local consumers.
Studies also show that 46% of all Google searches are for local information. Here’s another interesting fact: businesses listed in the top 3 positions of local search results receive approximately 75% of clicks
By prioritizing local content in your SEO strategy, you can significantly enhance your visibility to local customers actively searching for your products or services. You can do this by:
- Creating Location-Specific Content
- Optimizing Your Google My Business (GMB) Profile
- Building Local Citations.
4. Focus on Building Human Connections
While automation and efficiency are important in online marketing, building genuine human connections fosters trust and loyalty, which are invaluable in the long run.
You can build human connections through honesty and good customer relationships. Research indicates that 86% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support.
Studies have also shown that companies with strong customer relationships have a customer lifetime value that is 3-10 times higher than those without. Most customers feel more loyal to a brand that understands their individual needs.
Here are three ways you can build human connections in your online marketing efforts:
- Tailor your messages to meet your audience segments’ specific needs and preferences.
- Engage actively on social media and respond to comments.
- Humanize your brand voice by injecting empathy and personality instead of sounding robotic.
5. Don’t Just Grab Attention—Build Trust
While grabbing attention is the initial step in marketing, building trust is essential for long-term success. Consumers are increasingly wary of intrusive and irrelevant marketing messages. 81% of consumers say that trust in a brand influences their purchasing decisions.
The first step to developing trust is to know who your audience is on a deeper level and serve only the content they have asked for when they ask for it.
Here’s how you can build trust:
- Understand Your Audience Deeply: Utilize data analytics, surveys, and feedback mechanisms to gain a comprehensive understanding of your audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points.
- Provide Value-Driven Content: Focus on creating high-quality, informative, and relevant content that addresses your audience’s needs and solves their problems. Content marketing leaders experience 7.8 times more site traffic than non-leaders.
- Transparency and Authenticity: Be honest and transparent in your communication. Avoid misleading claims or deceptive practices.
- Consistency: Deliver on your promises consistently to build a reputation for reliability.
Key Takeaways
The first quarter of 2025 is almost over, and no doubt, we’ve seen that the online marketing landscape demands a strategic and data-driven approach.
By embracing zero-click marketing, returning to fundamental marketing principles, prioritizing local SEO, fostering human connections, and focusing on building trust, you can navigate the evolving digital environment and achieve sustainable growth.
Remember that continuous analysis of your marketing data is crucial for adapting your strategies and maximizing your results in this ever-changing world of online marketing.
If you need help with your online marketing strategies, contact us today. You can also check out these Content Marketing Agency Services in Nigeria | Full Service Content Creation to see the best services available.
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