Digital marketing thrives on authenticity. With social media providing instant feedback, businesses must engage audiences by promoting their products or services while remaining honest about their goals and values. Building trust and fostering genuine connections are crucial for success. As more Singaporeans embrace online platforms, the demand for digital marketing grows, with strategies like content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO), and search engine marketing (SEM) playing pivotal roles in reaching target audiences.

Here are 4 simple content hacks to help build your website traffic

Staying ahead in Singapore’s evolving digital marketing landscape requires a thorough understanding of key strategies and tools. Entrepreneurs and established business owners alike can benefit from knowing how to stand out in a competitive online marketplace. Harnessing the power of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube will help businesses make informed decisions and achieve digital marketing success.

In this article, we will share some secrets for success through various digital channels:

  1. Content Marketing Plan Creation

Creating a content marketing plan is essential for businesses looking to succeed in the digital marketing space. A well-designed plan can help companies to attract and retain customers, increase engagement, and drive conversions.

Plenty of evidence shows that content marketing successfully achieves outcomes for both B2B and B2C industries. Unfortunately, many marketers in Singapore have yet to fully embrace the importance and incorporation of content into their overall tactics.

Some are hesitant due to misconceptions about:

  • The nature of content marketing
  • The potential outcomes it can deliver
  • Its costs

In the digital age, traditional advertising and promotional strategies are losing effectiveness. It’s essential for marketers to embrace digital content marketing, even if they feel uncertain about developing a successful plan. Fortunately, numerous online resources can help guide and improve content marketing skills.

Example: Circles.Life’s Viral Content Marketing and A World Without Telco Contracts

Idea: Circles.Life, a digital telco in Singapore, revolutionised the telecom sector with no-contract plans and bold marketing campaigns. By tapping into customer dissatisfaction and understanding cultural nuances, they achieved increased brand awareness and market share. This highlights the power of creative, strategic marketing for brands aiming to disrupt industries and differentiate themselves.

  1. Dynamic Interactive Content

Effectively engaging audiences is vital for building strong brand connections. In Singapore, companies can utilise interactive content such as:

  • Quizzes
  • Polls
  • Surveys
  • Q&As
  • Live streams

These can enhance engagement, forge virtual bonds, and generate memorable customer experiences. Chatbots, a form of AI software, offer personalised assistance. In fact, 62% of people prefer messaging chatbots over traditional customer service centres. Furthermore, virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies deliver immersive experiences, leaving a lasting impact on audiences.

Additionally, virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies offer immersive experiences, leaving lasting impressions on audiences, especially when physical contact may be limited.

Example: Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)

Idea: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) effectively engaged the public in 2021 by using a humorous gameshow format to educate them about emergencies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Partnering with content creators like SGAG and King Kong Media, the campaign reached diverse audiences and garnered 1.7 million views. Consequently, non-emergency and false alarm calls decreased by almost 300 cases.

  1. Effective SEO Strategies

An innovative SEO approach can drastically increase traffic for a business. A content-driven strategy can deliver impressive, rapid results for clients across various industries. The following are insights into critical SEO tactics:

  1. Building a Content Strategy Roadmap: Enhance topical authority, cater to user intent, and prioritise E-A-T (especially for health-related websites).
  2. Mastering Internal Linking: Establish the optimal website structure.
  3. Boosting Local Relevance: Leverage citations and local blogging partnerships.

One challenge that may be encountered is to elevate a new, previously unoptimised website with no long-form content or blog posts and achieve the following goals:

  1. Reach Page 1 for at least 30% of targeted keywords within a year.
  2. Establish the client as an expert in the eldercare niche.
  3. Implement an algorithm-proof SEO strategy.

A digital marketing company can use a proven 4-step SEO formula to solve the problem:

  1. Establishing Topical Authority: Gain Google’s recognition as an “authority” in the subject by focusing on the scope and depth of topics and ease of content navigation.
  2. Developing a Comprehensive On-Page SEO Strategy: Monitor and optimise critical on-page elements such as meta titles, descriptions, headings, and URLs.
  3. Perfecting Technical SEO Tactics: Improve the website’s technical aspects by resolving errors and enhancing site structure.
  4. Strengthening Backlinking and Citations: Focus on local citations in reputable business directories and outreach to local bloggers for local relevance.

Get this right, and be surprised by the results! The right strategy and execution can achieve remarkable SEO results quickly, unlocking a website’s full potential by combining solid content strategy with technical on-page activities.

Example: Increasing Traffic to an Elderly Care Service Website in Singapore by 250%

Idea: Digital marketing agency Khepri Digital boosted daily traffic to an elderly care service website in Singapore by 250% in three months by following an innovative approach. This led to 15-20 solid leads generated daily, a 55% year-on-year traffic increase, and 30% of tracked keywords ranking on Page 1.

  1. Mobile Message Marketing

With a population of 5.75 million in Singapore, 4 million people rely on WhatsApp as their go-to app. Messaging app marketing is now gaining traction among businesses. Key platforms include Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and WhatsApp.

Facebook Messenger boasts a 50-80% open rate, with 20% of users clicking links or taking further action and 3-5% more conversions than traditional Facebook desktop ads. Telegram, another popular messaging app, has 700 million monthly active users. Businesses are leveraging Telegram for Business features like automated bots, ads, and broadcasts. WhatsApp, the most popular messaging platform globally, has a 98% text message open rate. Marketing through WhatsApp can establish strong customer relationships and boost sales. Combining it with chatbots can improve conversion rates and provide 24/7 customer support.

Example: Unilever’s MadameBot on WhatsApp

Idea: Unilever’s WhatsApp Business chatbot campaign for promoting their new Comfort fabric softener products in Brazil yielded exceptional results. The campaign engaged 12 thousand unique customers and exchanged over 290,000 messages in just seven days. This innovative approach led to a 14-fold increase in sales compared to ordinary days and received positive feedback. The success of this conversational commerce strategy has Unilever considering the addition of a WhatsApp number directly on product packaging.

  1. Mobile Optimisation

Mobile optimisation ensures that your website is easily accessible and navigable on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. As more people rely on their mobile devices for browsing and shopping online, businesses must have a mobile-optimised website that offers a seamless user experience. Mobile optimisation involves:

  • Responsive design
  • Faster page load times
  • Easy-to-use navigation features that cater to smaller screens

In April 2015, Google introduced a search algorithm update, which prioritised mobile-friendly websites in search results rankings. In response, many companies developed mobile-friendly websites to remain competitive. These are optimised for mobile devices, offering:

  • Quick loading times
  • Simple navigation
  • Adaptable design suitable for different screen sizes

If you need help determining whether your website is considered mobile-friendly, Google offers their Mobile-Friendly Test tool to help you determine its compatibility. Given the growing significance of mobile optimisation, it’s a smart choice to ensure your site is accessible on all devices.

Example: Mobile Optimisation of Starbucks Singapore

Idea: The Starbucks Singapore app was redesigned to enhance the Starbucks Experience, making it more convenient and user-friendly. The team gathered user insights, developed personas, and mapped customer journeys to identify pain points and improvement opportunities. They implemented features like combined payment and rewards tracking, a simplified payment process, store crowd-level indicators, and faster login options. The revamped app now offers millions of regular users a personalised and interactive experience.

  1. Paid Traffic via Facebook Ads

Facebook, boasting over 1.5 billion users, has become an indispensable platform for advertising. Its ad formats, such as carousel and lead ads, have evolved over the years to provide more sophisticated user targeting options. Businesses can create highly customised ads that cater to specific demographics and interests by leveraging these features.

Targeted advertisements have the potential to increase website traffic and boost conversion rates significantly. This enables them to engage potential customers better, too. Directing ads at specific users and tailoring the content and offers to their online behaviour and preferences result in the following:

  • Higher rates of engagement
  • Improved campaign performance
  • A higher return on investment

Example: L’Oreal Singapore’s Increased Sales with Facebook Collaborative Ads

Idea: L’Oréal joined Sephora in a groundbreaking Collaborative Ads campaign to revitalise sales in Singapore. Targeting cosmetics enthusiasts, L’Oréal showcased products from three of its brands sold via Sephora on Facebook. With the help of agency iProspect, the campaign flourished across Facebook and Instagram, generating remarkable results: a 6.5X return on ad spend and a 2X surge in average sales.

  1. Website Revamp and Improvement

A website revamp can be a powerful catalyst for digital marketing success. It can significantly improve user experience, conversion rates, and search engine rankings. This process involves large-scale changes to the following:

  • Code
  • Content
  • Structure
  • Visuals reflecting the evolution of design best practices, technology, and audience expectations

A well-executed website redesign can enhance a company’s brand image, optimise load speeds, streamline content strategy, and ensure up-to-date security, ultimately increasing organic traffic and user engagement.

Careful planning must be done as there may be negative impacts on their existing Google rankings. A successful revamp may initially cause a drop in rankings and traffic. However, quick recovery and continued growth will ensue following SEO best practices.

Example: HealthXchange.sg’s increased traffic with website revamp and improvement

Idea: In 2016, HealthXchange.com.sg, a content hub for trusted health tips in Asia, decided to revamp and migrate to HealthXchange.sg. The process involved consultations, redirecting popular pages, content migration, and following SEO best practices. Although the site experienced an initial drop in rankings and traffic, it recovered and continued to grow year on year after the revamp.

  1. Search Engine Marketing Implementation

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) merges paid search advertisements, such as Google AdWords, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to achieve the best organic search outcomes. To connect with prospective clients, it’s essential to be present during their search journey. Search ads enable experimentation, enhancement, and tracking of keywords, ad copy, offers, and landing pages. By integrating with Google Analytics and CRM systems, you can identify which ads lead to opportunities and revenue, applying these insights to your entire marketing strategy.

Top Tools:

  • Google AdWords
  • WordStream
  • Wordtracker
  • Bing and Yahoo
  • BrightEdge

Example: ExpressColour’s Implementation of Search Engine Marketing increasing sales by 30%

Idea: ExpressColour, a commercial printing company in Singapore, embraced Search Engine Marketing (SEM) during the 2013 property market downturn and achieved remarkable results. A targeted Google AdWords campaign led to a 30% increase in sales volume and a diversified clientele. By focusing on just four search terms, their monthly search volume became 1,650 with a 2% conversion rate. They gained about 33 new customers per month. After removing “cheap” keywords from their AdWords strategy, ExpressColour dramatically reduced the cost per conversion from $150.92 to only $29.19, showcasing SEM’s immense potential for driving revenue and overcoming industry challenges.

  1. Social Media Influencers

Social media influencers with large followings on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are essential for building brand awareness and driving sales. Businesses must identify influencers whose audience and content align with their brand image. Collaborations on sponsored content or product reviews tap into followers’ trust, increasing visibility and potential sales.

Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok engage younger audiences and foster influencer partnerships. Studies show that 70% of teenagers trust influencers more than traditional celebrities. Influencers establish strong connections with their followers, who trust their recommendations. Collaborating with an influencer who represents your brand’s values and promotes products ethically can set your business apart from competitors.

Example: Beauty, lifestyle, and travel influencer Mongchin Yeoh promotes Daniel Wellington, a Swedish watch brand

Idea: Influencer marketing, as demonstrated by beauty lifestyle blogger Michelle Yeoh’s post about Daniel Wellington’s ICONIC LINK collection, can effectively drive results for the brand. By partnering with a trusted influencer who has a loyal following, the brand gains access to a highly targeted audience interested in beauty and lifestyle products. The promotional code and personalised endorsement from Michelle Yeoh create a sense of exclusivity and trust, encouraging her followers to make a purchase. This strategy not only raises brand awareness but also has the potential to boost sales and enhance the brand’s reputation among consumers.

  1. Utilising Marketing Automation Tools

Marketing automation tools streamline processes and improve customer relationships by automating tasks like email marketing and social media posting. This allows businesses to focus on high-quality content and customer engagement. Key options include HubSpot, Marketo, Eloqua, and SharpSpring, which offer tools like:

  • Visitor identification
  • Analytics
  • Lead scoring
  • Behaviour tracking
  • Dynamic forms

Example: Power Up Singapore with Singtel

Idea: Singtel’s Salesforce transformation improved customer insights and engagement. Salesforce Customer 360 optimised touchpoints, Marketing Cloud streamlined campaigns, and Sales Cloud enhanced account management. MuleSoft integration led to updated customer profiles, enabling better decision-making and increased productivity. The implementation fostered collaboration and was well-received by employees due to its intuitive nature.

  1. Video Engagement in Content Marketing

Video content has become crucial for businesses, particularly on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. It’s an essential medium for sharing information, engaging fans, and telling brand stories. Including video in businesses’ content marketing strategies using affordable recording and editing technology can help them stay competitive.

Text-based marketing alone is no longer sufficient; video, especially live video or live streaming, is the new standard. Video engages audiences more effectively by combining visual and audio elements. Live streaming enables direct interaction with viewers through comments, instant reactions, or platform-specific features, creating more opportunities for effective brand promotion. Platforms like Twitch exemplify the growing popularity of this approach.

Example: Citibank Singapore’s campaign with 6 million views

Idea: Citi Bank’s “There’s More to Wealth” campaign featured the mini-series “Hidden Riches,” showcasing unique definitions of wealth. Citigold engaged thought leaders and KOLs on social media to create custom content that inspired conversations about meaningful, purposeful wealth. With over 6 million video views, 80% of respondents reported seeing the campaign, indicating high awareness. This campaign increased brand preference and significantly boosted the search volume for Citigold’s branded keyword.

To wrap up

Now, you’ve discovered 11 secrets for digital marketing success. These will guide you in creating a robust online presence and reaching a broader audience. By employing these strategies, most enterprises can boost their visibility, engage with customers, and ultimately drive sales. Remember to stay current with the latest trends to remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

At Khepri Digital, we appreciate the importance of digital marketing and are devoted to helping Singaporean businesses succeed. As a top digital marketing agency in Singapore, we possess the expertise and experience to help companies thrive online. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help your entity flourish in the digital space.

This article titled “The secrets to digital marketing success in Singapore” was authored by Thomas Tay, SEO Head at Khepri Digital’s Singapore branch

About the author

Thomas Tay, SEO Head at Khepri Digital’s Singapore branch

Thomas Tay is the SEO Head at Khepri Digital’s Singapore branch. An SEO nerd by day, he is responsible for the research & development to assess the impact and changes in Google algorithms. His work powers the processes behind Khepri Digital’s SEO manual. When not looking at SEO experiments, he tends to be around the Northern Area of Singapore, chomping on Satay and Chicken wings.