Back To Basics. The What and Why of Digital Marketing.
Let’s talk about how many people simply assume that digital marketing is just Facebook ads and social media blasts. By discussing the fundamentals of digital marketing, I argue that-
“Digital marketing is more than just social media and Facebook blasts.”
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing allows companies to promote and sell their products and services by leveraging digital platforms and online marketing tactics. When one really gets down to it, it is merely marketing using a digital platform.
However, what differentiates it from traditional marketing is its ability to get a brand’s message and story in front of its targeted audience in real-time.
While this type of marketing may come across as overwhelming to beginners, it is essential to understand that while there are different tactics and strategies that are needed to master, the fundamental marketing tactics and rules still apply. The key to success in digital marketing lies in the development of a digital marketing strategy which allows companies to connect with their audience using a multitude of channels including Content, Social media, Search engine optimisation (SEO), Advertising and Email marketing. Some other methods are Affiliate marketing, Online PR and Web analytics.
When a company develops its digital marketing strategy using these pieces, they will develop an ability to efficiently operate in today’s digital world. While it is intimidating to build a strategy from scratch, integrating different tactics of digital marketing will lead a company to create valuable audience interactions and generate leads.
By integrating various channels of digital marketing in your strategy, your company can inspire, entertain and persuade buyers, create organic growth, and onboard new customers while retaining the existing ones.
So, why is digital marketing really important?
With the growing use of the internet across the globe, online platforms have become an integral part of a customer’s journey. From conducting searches to checking social media, it is now when companies realise the growing importance of digital marketing. Customers browse the web looking for companies that can satisfy their needs with their products, and if they can’t find you, they will find your competitors. Hence if you want to continue competing and thriving in your industry, it is about time that your firm adopts digital marketing if it hasn’t done already.
Digital marketing has been a trending topic, especially for companies that are looking for new ways to grow their businesses. Indeed, it becomes a valuable asset for companies as it allows them to establish an online presence and successfully create brand awareness.
“89 per cent of marketers say methods, like search engine optimisation (SEO), are successful. Additionally, methods like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising increase brand awareness as much as 80 per cent”.
Digital marketing allows small firms to compete with large corporations, levelling the playing field and providing SMEs and start-ups to stand a fighting chance against them. Different forms of digital marketing allow firms to compete in different ways. For example, PPC ads and SEO may enable companies to compete on search and site ranks based on their content’s relevancy to the keyword while social media marketing will allow them to compete on their brand personas.
It doesn’t just stop here. Regardless of their size, it allows companies to target their ideal audience and directly reach the leads that are interested in them. Unlike traditional marketing, you don’t have to hope that the audience may view your marketing efforts. Using digital campaigns, a company can target their audience more precisely and create more engagement while optimising costs.
All thanks to digital marketing, tracking and monitoring campaigns have now become easy. Gone are those days when companies had to ask every customer about what brought them to their business.
With digital marketing, a company can not only easily track a campaign’s ROI but also use other metrics to understand what is generating leads, whether the campaign is driving results and many more things which permits the firm to make continuous improvements.
So, digital marketing is all about utilising digital platforms to achieve a company’s marketing objectives. As discussed in the entire article, digital marketing can benefit a company in many ways and can definitely be a boon for the business.
“But is it a boon for many and a bane for some? Stay tuned to find out”.
Have additional questions about digital marketing? Let me know your takeaways in the comments.
