How does 'organic digital marketing' differ from 'digital marketing?
What does it include, how much does it cost - and will it deliver a return on investment?

Let's find out.

You have probably heard of 'digital marketing' - but organic digital marketing?

Isn't 'organic' just a produce term?

Whether or not you seek out organic product to eat, most of us would agree that 'organic' as a process offers benefits. It's more natural, less chemical - more integrated, less artificial - more home grown and less big business.

Most people see value in that which is lovingly crafted vs that which is mass produced.

Organic digital marketing isn't any different. It references that same 'organic process' - where real value, quality and consistency - increases your reputation naturally, bringing rewards over time.

You build your audience, you deliver targeted content, you write articles, do videos, get involved in your business community, you provide free help and advice. All of these are simple 'lo fi', natural ways to build your brand and increase your revenue without a lot of upfront cost.

Welcome to organic digital marketing.

So go share your message, get diy, : and grow your brand naturally, online.

But before we go any further, a quote from Sophocles:

He says - "One learns by doing a thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try."

Sophocles was an Ancient Greek playwright. He lived in Anthens from 497 BC to 406 BC.

I like this quote. In that ancient age, Sophocles ideas still manage to get to the heart of how to approach 'organic digital marketing'.

Sophocles says - 'one learns by doing a thing.'

That is certainly true with regard to organic marketing. You just have to start. Dive in. Be authentic. Talk to your customer. Don't worry about high end production values. Keep it real. Do your best and adjust as you go. That is how you learn.

He reminds us that 'you have no certainty until you try'.

For Sopholes, you have to have faith in the process. As small business owners, we are always learning something new.

In this digital age - where online marketing can seem costly and confusing - it makes sense to try the organic approach, where simple is best and costs are low.

Think grass roots. Be organic.

Make a goal to do small outreaches daily - find ways to help your customers and prospects. Tend your garden. Watch it grow.

Now, back to our initial question : What is organic digital marketing?

The definition of 'organic digital marketing' is a simple one.

Digital Marketing - of course refers to any marketing that is online, digital, internet based.

Organic Digital Marketing refers to content marketing activities which provide value to customers and prospects over time. This is also referred to as 'inbound marketing' - where targeted people discover you 'naturally'.

This is in contrast to 'Paid Digital Marketing'.

'Paid digital' in this context - may be described as 'artifiical or non-natural'. Any market reach that you establish disappears when you finish your campaign. Visibility costs ongoing investment here.

Organic digital marketing whilst often free or low cost - does come with the price of time - investment, dedication and consistent actions, ideally maintained on a daily basis. Yes it's true - that as small business owners there is never enough time.

Yet advertising or marketing is an activity that few can do without. You need leads. And organic digital marketing is great for lead generation over the long term.

Once established 'organic marketing actions' are often referred to as 'ever green content'. Unlike 'paid marketing actions' that drop off the map advertising stops - organic content remains visible. It provides ongoing value to targeted audiences and returns an ongoing stream of quality leads and prospects, without ongoing cost.

Sounds good, hey?

Ok - let's get to some examples of Organic Marketing.

SEO Organic Marketing

For anyone who doesn't know, SEO stands for search engine optimisation.
This is where your website features naturally in organic search results, particularly on the first page.

Results on the first page will usually get clicks. And targeted clicks generate real world leads.

Action Tip: Blogs are great for SEO.

Google loves blogs. Never underestimate the importance of blogging.

Create highly targeted blog posts around keywords that your customers might use. Like with all marketing actions - find your point of difference here too. Don't just go for the most popular terms - where ranking is often fought over amongst the 'big boys'. Let them fight it out.

Instead target very specific niches. Include your location in blog post titles (particularly if you are target local clients). Get granular about your products and services.

I recommend making your website the focus of your attention and blogging is a great way to do just that.

Value your website. It is a key asset and a long term investment in your business - and blogging adds more value to your website over time. Your website increasingly offers more resources to your audience - and google will reward you with ranking.

But like starting a vege patch - organic digital does take time to grow.

Think of your blog posts as an opportunity to share relevant information with your own special audience. Be you, keep it simple and aim to help.

Then do it all over again.

Social Media Organic Marketing

Social media organic marketing - makes use of popular social platforms to spread your message. Think Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube, WeChat, WhatsApp and more.

There are sooo many social channels out there - it can be a bit overwhelming.

You have to be selective - and you must be strategic here. Each platform has it's own set of advantages.

How can a busy small business owner keep up with all of them?

There is a simple way. Really.

This is via your website and more specifically, your blog.

When you write a new blog post, you are able to auto publish it across the most popular social channels. It's automatic, it's simple - and it makes it easy for people to follow you via their preferred network - some customers prefer twitter, others Facebook etc.

Take advantage of auto publishing
Auto-publishing makes it easy to maintain activity across a variety of platforms at the same time.

If your website is built on the Wordpress platform - you can install a plugin to help you here. One example is Blog2Social. Blog2Social is a great Social Media Auto Post & Scheduler and I have included a link below: https://wordpress.org/plugins/blog2social/

Blog2Social lets you share and auto-post across a great many social channels including Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, LinkedIn, XING, Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr, Reddit, VK.com, Medium, Tumblr, Torial, Diigo and Bloglovin.

Pretty good, huh?

If your website is built on the squarespace platform - you don't need to install a plugin to get started sharing.

Share your content across the main social platforms with the press of a button. Post to Facebook (Pages only), Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Tumblr.

The great thing about Squarespace here, is that you can not only share blog posts - but all sorts of content, including Gallery Page images or videos,

Events info, Product details and even Album tracks.

This is a handy shortcut, and really saves time when it comes to manually opening your social profiles and pasting your links.

What else does Organic Digital Marketing include?
As you know know, organic digital marketing refers to all your 'non-paid', online marketing actions.

While your blog is a great place to get started - there are lots of other ideas out there too.

Welcome to the big list!

Whilst many options exist out there - the important idea is to always have your target customer uppermost in your mind. What kind of content would they appreciate best? What are the best ways to reach out to them?

Generate traffic, increase your leads and build your business with these simple strategies.

Extend your brand reach organically with:

• Infographics

• E-Books - Both Free and Paid download

• Social Media Content

• Power Point Presentations

• Images

• Blogs

• Podcasts

• Articles on other websites

• Blog comments

• Online Directory Submissions

• Forum Profiles

• Local Business Listings

• Press Releases

• Pdf Sharing

• Quora Posts

• Video Content

• Google Maps

• Reviews & Testimonials

• Link Sharing & Outreach

They are ideas to get you started with organic digital marketing.

Remember Sophocles: "One learns by doing a thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try."

Just try. Have a go. Keep it simple and begin.

Take your message - in new ways - to the people who matter most: your customers.

Good luck!