4 Eco-Friendly Digital Marketing Hacks for San Diego Businesses

1
Sep 2020

San Diego is well known as one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the United States. There are more solar installations in San Diego than any other city in California, and the city plans to run on 100% renewable energy by 2035. While 2020 hasn’t exactly been a trip to the beach for local businesses amid COVID-19, several of the decisions you make as a business owner can help you grow your business AND keep San Diego’s sunny coast and ocean clean for when that normal beach day finally comes.

How? By going digital with your marketing initiatives!

Not only are people spending more time online during this tumultuous season, but in San Diego, studies have shown that consumers prefer to buy from, invest in and patronize businesses operating in an eco-friendly manner. Branded plastic tchotchkes, paper leaflets, plastic-coated informational pamphlets and other single-use marketing trinkets are so out. 

Here are 4 eco-friendly digital marketing hacks that are easy on your wallet and the environment: 

 

Email Marketing vs. Direct Mail

Junk mail kills 2.6 million trees in the United States each year, putting 1 billion pounds in the landfill annually. And don’t forget about the environmental impact of all those trucks burning gas to deliver it!

Email marketing is a superb alternative with an estimated 3.9 billion active users. It typically has a high ROI, nurtures relationships, can be automated and integrates easily with other marketing channels. Many email marketing platforms are free and provide you with excellent analytics; you can monitor who receives your email, opens it, and where they spend time reading or clicking. This will help you evaluate what worked and what didn’t, giving you data to use when creating future campaigns.

 

Pay-Per-Click and Social Media Marketing vs. Print Ads

Although print ads are still effective, they contribute a significant amount to deforestation, which is extremely detrimental to human health and wellbeing. Forests absorb the carbon dioxide that we exhale and the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that human activities emit. 

Do your part by minimizing your material waste and opt for social media marketing and/or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, neither of which leaves a material waste footprint! PPC and social media marketing can work hand in hand or separately, but in 2020, using these strategies together in a multi-channel marketing effort usually yields the highest ROI. 

 

Downloadable Resources vs. Single-Use Plastic Tchotchkes 

Aside from brand awareness, what value do single-use plastic tchotchkes, toys, and marketing ‘gifts’ really provide for you or your customer? 

Instead, offer your audience something valuable, like answering a question or fulfilling a need, with a resource that doubles as a lead magnet for you. Offering free, downloadable resources (like white papers, how-to guides, FAQs, or helpful tips and tricks) on your website establishes you and your brand as a helpful, subject matter expert – and it’s a great lead generation tool for you. 

 

Corporate Sustainability Programs- and Goodwill Online

Businesses that implement corporate sustainability programs make a difference in the world, but they also establish goodwill and personality for their brand. Creating these kinds of programs has several positive effects, including doing your part for the environment, improving your bottom line, cutting costs and even fostering an opportunity for collaboration within your team. Your employees will also benefit from healthier and safer work conditions. 

You might want to include: 

  • Implementing a consistent recycling program in the office.
  • Encouraging employees to reduce energy consumption.
  • Eliminating single-use items such as paper cups, plastic water bottles, etc.
  • Going paperless.
  • Considering a carpool program for your employees to save fuel.

 

While electronics are not completely waste-free, computers and smartphones have a much longer life of usage, are recyclable, and have a significantly smaller environmental footprint. As you begin your eco-friendly marketing journey, don’t forget to bolster your new green initiatives by updating your website and sharing your company’s progress on social media. With so many fantastic digital tools at your disposal, start cultivating a healthier world and more effective marketing campaigns today.


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