Digital advice on offer

STICK to your knitting and don’t try to become a social media or digital marketing specialist if you don’t have the expertise.

That’s the message from international guest speaker Stu Atkins, who will present at the Digital Marketing Masterclass, sponsored by News Corp, publisher of the Gold Coast Bulletin, on May 16 at Sofitel Broadbeach.

Mr Atkins said it was crucial businesses understood how and where their customers consumed information.

“A good starting point for businesses should be to communicate on the platform that the majority of their customers use,” he said.

“Whether that is a social media platform, news website, or indeed, newspaper, the first step is to communicate with your customers in an environment where they reside.”

Mr Atkins said it is of no use marketing on Instagram if your customers fit into the 50plus age bracket.

He said, with limited marketing resources, it is important to use a platform that gives the most bang for your buck.

“My advice is to talk to your customers and understand how they consume information about your industry,” he said.

“If you are an accounting firm, you probably already have a number of customers, Where is it that they spend their time? How did they become aware of you? Where are they consuming information? You don’t start without knowledge. Talk to your customers first.”

Mr Atkins said business owners also need to weigh up whether it is an efficient use of their time to spend hours on digital marketing or leave it to the experts. Go to goldcoastwayahead.com.au/event/bulletin-breakfast to register for the event.