Published: February 4th, 2019
One of the region’s leading experts in online marketing is heading to Hereford to share his knowledge and love of all things digital at a high profile event.
Lucas Karemo, trainer and business coach with Google’s Growth Programme – an independent initiative known as the Google Digital Garage – will be the guest speaker at the Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire Love Digital event on February 14.
The free event at the Three Counties Hotel, organised in partnership with the University of Wolverhampton, will be an opportunity for business owners to learn how to maximise the use of digital technologies, data and communications within their organisation.
Lucas, who went to school in Malvern but later moved to Birmingham to carve out a career in digital marketing way before the ‘digital storm’ hit, will provide inspiration and advice to those wishing to grow their business.
Ahead of the event, Lucas took some time out of his busy schedule to answer five top digital marketing questions on the tip of every business owner’s tongue.
Q: What do you love most about digital?
A: "It’s empowering. For entrepreneurs and small businesses it can be a real leveller. The same principles apply in digital marketing whether you’re a global player in business or at the opposite end of the scale and are a loved and local business."
Q: Why should businesses use digital marketing?
A: "Digital marketing is essential for all businesses. It allows you to target your audience and hone in on the needs and wants of specific markets. Once businesses realise the return on investment they will be hooked. The key thing to remember is to come up with a strategy and strong set of digital marketing goals before you start."
Q: What are your top three tips for businesses looking to grow and promote their business using digital marketing?
A: "Number one – start with social media. Do some research to find out which platform your core market spends the most time on. Then don’t just get good on it, be brilliant on it, before you branch out onto multiple platforms.
"Number two – get your website working for you. First evaluate existing content and make sure it is talking to your core audience. Re-write any content that isn’t and make sure each page says something different and you’ve done your keyword research.
"Number three – once you’re happy with the architecture of your own website switch your focus off-site and start building links with other sites and associated directories."
Q: What are the top three biggest mistakes businesses make when it comes to digital marketing?
A: "Not setting any goals and objectives, not measuring their activity and failing to understand what the analytics are telling them."
Q: What are the best tools/apps which can help businesses with their digital marketing?
A: "There is a myriad of tools out there to help businesses but my advice for any business would be to ‘grow with Google’. Nine out of 10 internet searches are done using the Google search engine so really focus on improving your organic marketing and spend time on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
Come along to the Love Digital event and learn more about how to do your digital marketing with Lucas. It gets underway at 10am with networking and the business expo, followed by workshops, buffet lunch and talk in the afternoon.
Click here for more details and to reserve your place.
