The Feng Shui of Digital Marketing

I’m not going to lie – when I first picked up a book on Feng Shui I thought it was about interior decorating. Feng Shui or “The Art of Placement” is a very captivating (and sneakily obsessive) subject matter, And, now having a taste of the purple kool-aid, I have started applying a lot of its teachings within my own home.

Traditional Feng Shui is based on the idea that chi (energy) is in constant motion. It changes frequently and requires you to be proactive AND reactive to create a balanced environment of energy. To achieve this balance you need to:

1. Declutter (which may feel like it takes forever because you need to hold everything up and ask yourself “Do I use this? Do I need this? Do I love this?”)

2. Clear the house of all of its bad energies 

3. Replace the newly cleaned and cleared house with new energies (like new furniture, decor, art, etc.)

Whew. 

I didn’t realize how much was involved in the process but it resonated quickly with me when I realized that I actually practice this methodology daily in digital marketing.

Digital marketing (a blanket term for any type of marketing through digital means – e.g. social media, paid advertising or SEM) is based on the same theory of Feng Shui – creating a balanced environment. This practice brings a lot of focus, which is exactly what you need in digital marketing.

User activity (like chi) is constantly changing, and it’s your job to be both proactive and reactive to this activity to always be aware of your customers’ needs and wants.

We can use the basics of Feng Shui to guide us through some basics of digital marketing:

1. Declutter 

Review every instance of your brand online. Google yourself. What comes up? Are these results relevant? Do they leave your audience with the right thoughts and feelings? If not, get rid of them.

Review your website and social media channels. Is there a simpler approach you can take to the design and/or content? Remember that your message needs to be communicated quickly and simply.

2. Clear all the bad energies

Design, redesign, test and tweak. Constantly. The way users interact with your online presence changes frequently as they respond to your content and other external factors.

Understand your audience and their needs. Create experiences online that are not only conducive to your brand, but are in the interest of solving the problems of your customers. By creating quality content that is useful, you’ll naturally build trust, attract traffic and begin working on your personal relationships with your customers (converting, closing and retaining).

3. Replace space with new energies

Know where your audience is hanging out.  Not everybody uses LinkedIn or Facebook. Align your understanding of their needs and wants (your content) to their interests and put yourself where they are.

Do you have a content strategy? Why not? Having a plan will prevent you of having to clear the bad energies. Be proactive!

Digital Marketing, like Feng Shui, can go into much deeper detail. But you’ve got to start somewhere. Start here. Start today.