Online marketing can be a great means of securing a secondary income, whether retirement is around the corner or not. However, in the digital era, it’s a hot commodity and it can be very competitive. For anyone with a background in technology, marketing, or a related field, considering online marketing for a golden years career can be a great option. Just make sure to follow the best practices to guarantee a successful venture.
When planning for retirement, make sure to consider income realistically. Nobody really knows how much savings they’ll need in retirement, but “the more the merrier” is definitely a good approach to take. More and more Americans are working later, working part-time after retirement, or choosing a telecommuting/freelance approach as a supplement. If online marketing is in your future, here are a few tips to consider:
1. Don’t forget SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a means of bolstering a website’s rankings in search engines like Google. There’s a growing camp that says optimizing for Amazon is just as important as optimizing for Google, and that’s crucial if the website you’re creating marketing for is advertised on Amazon. While the SEO best practices are always evolving, take a look at Forbes’ SEO predictions for 2015 and stay ahead of the curve.
2. Content quality comes first
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The most important thing with marketing is the medium with which you’re communicating, whether it’s text, videos or images. As a marketer, you might not necessarily be the “best” writer or video producer, and that means one of two things: 1) Either you need to improve those skills or 2) you need to partner with someone who specializes in this field. Content is king is the mantra of marketers and SEO gurus alike, so don’t forget about it.
3. Links aren’t forever
Link building can be a pillar of your online marketing strategy, but it’s not a one and done approach. Follow the advice from Search Engine Journal on how to remove “bad” links, but bear in mind that you’re in charge of monitoring those links as long as the content/website is under your management. Just because a link was relevant yesterday doesn’t mean it’ll remain true today. Consider this carefully when figuring out how long you’ll be overseeing a website or client.
4. Less is more
Like it or not, people don’t want to spend a lot of time poring over material, especially when it’s written. They’re more likely to digest a two minute video compared to a ten minute one, even if you think you genuinely have ten minutes worth of valuable content. Marketing is short, snappy and direct, even when it’s online and regardless of the medium. Use a lot of white space, keep sentences short, and remember that you’re battling a lot of distraction for your audience’s attention.
5. Write for your audience
You’re not writing for anyone except your audience (SEO is part of your “audience”, but it comes second). This requires empathy and knowing what your readers want to see. If you’re not familiar with a subject, consider any paid work a learning opportunity that might expand into something more down the road. Get outside your comfort zone, do your research, and remember that the more expertise you have, the more you can make.
Choosing (or having to) work in retirement can introduce you to an entirely new career. With online marketing and content marketing, there’s no end in sight because everyone with an online presence will always need better, upgraded and improved content. Market yourself well, and your retirement years will have plenty of padding.
