Digital marketing: 4 things you should know

By Grace Hawkins

Published Nov 14, 2020 at 07:00 AM

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Image by Social Cut on Unsplash

Whether companies were promoting products or services, traditional marketing was their number one go-to. For decades, this type of marketing has taken over the streets with the towering ads projected against buildings. In the US, as you drive cross-state, you’ll be greeted by billboards for every mile. You’ll turn on the radio, and commercials for all sorts of trinkets will fill your vehicle.

Upon returning home, you’ll check your mailbox, and it will certainly be packed with junk mail for various products. You’ll then crash on your couch and turn the TV on, only to be greeted by pillow ads and other stuff.

This crude and blunt form of marketing has dominated nearly every facet of daily life in the past. In total, mom-and-pop shops and corporate behemoths have dumped billions of dollars into this trusted method. The only problem is that nowadays, proponents of traditional marketing are mostly wasting their budgets.

These conventional ways are rendered obsolete because potential customers aren’t looking anymore. Instead, their eyes are glued to their smartphones as they buy everything online. The age of conventional marketing is over, and we’re living in the era of digital marketing. The good news is you could still transition to this new standard. Before you do, here are 4 things you should know about digital marketing.

Today, brand awareness is mostly built and spread online. If consumers can’t find your products or services on the internet, it might as well be non-existent! Consequently, digital advertising is now a must for any marketing campaign. This new iteration of marketing makes sure your brand reaches your target audience. Since everyone has mobile devices, content marketers could ensure your adverts are omnipresent in every pocket.

Even better, this new iteration of marketing gives small businesses a fighting chance against colossal corporations. Every company competes on an even playing field because they all have the same digital marketing tools to work with. Companies need to improve the same metrics, such as their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) rates. Everybody has to play by the same rules. Your brand doesn’t have to remain a business chump, as it allows you to go toe-to-toe against the business champs.

Back then, people were mere recipients of internet content. This age occurred in the 1990s and was dubbed Web 1.0. Soon, the world transitioned to Web 2.0, when internet users began posting their own content. This enabled a two-way sharing of information as servers responded to user content. In response, online content marketers changed their approach to promoting their brands.

Instead of overt digital marketing, they employed subtler digital tactics and focused on creating a brand experience that encourages participation in potential customers. In response, online marketing teams now pay attention to user content and feedback. Then, they improve their campaigns based on these pieces of information. Now, this new form of brand promotion is ubiquitous, and it has mostly overtaken traditional methods.

If you would like to adapt to this trend, then you should learn the various methods it presents. There are numerous digital marketing channels, and an effective online marketing campaign employs all of them. You can learn about the lead generation for effective digital marketing. Understand each underlying method, so you too can dominate in this age of online content.

Ever wanted your goods or services to reach a vast audience? How does a potential customer base of around 7.7 billion people sound? 7.7 billion is the number of people using social media nowadays, so it’s no surprise that it’s part of every marketing campaign. Social media marketers make sure their adverts are short and sweet to resonate with potential customers effectively. They build an attractive Facebook page for their brand, where they post relevant content frequently. These include blogs and infographics that promote their products’ benefits. Eventually, this spreads word of mouth regarding the brand and builds its online influence.

Digital marketing goes so far as adapting content for search engines. When people look for stuff on websites like Google, algorithms match their search terms to relevant content. Then, those with the right keywords will be displayed first in the results. Online marketers exploit this feature by incorporating popular keywords into the content. This increases the likelihood that it will be displayed first in search results. Even better, this method doesn’t require funds so that everyone can compete for that top Google spot.

Despite overtaking traditional marketing, digital marketing still takes a few pointers from it. Similar to the old billboards ads, companies post Google ads that are integrated into search results. They also post banner ads on other websites to further their marketing reach. Their costs are usually based on the initial payment and their next visits or conversions. However, more funding doesn’t necessarily mean higher chances of success. These ads succeed based on their relevance and quality, not financial support.

As mentioned previously, brands can post their content on other websites to boost their online presence. As a result, digital marketing provides a mutual benefit for all businesses. It enables host companies and guest brands to expand their customer base and internet presence. When more people see referral content, they trust these companies even more. Consequently, they purchase more goods and services from these brands. This marketing method doesn’t just increase competition, but it also encourages collaboration among businesses.

Digital marketing involves lead capture or gathering valuable information from clients like email addresses. Companies then compile an email list and send promotional content to everyone included. These are intended to convince potential customers to become actual customers. What’s more, there are now free online tools that can automate the whole process. However, don’t obnoxiously spam customers and be sensitive to their current situation. For example, you should sympathise with consumers about the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Various free tools allow companies to monitor each stage of a customer’s journey. For example, you could use Google Analytics to get real-time updates regarding your marketing campaign. These allow you to swiftly improve your methods and quickly catch up with consumer trends. However, you may not have time to keep track of all this data. Moreover, you need a dedicated marketing and sales team that may be currently preoccupied. If so, you could outsource to a digital marketing agency such as LeadAdvisors, which has previously helped several businesses with their digital marketing endeavours. It teams of experts will handle every aspect of your digital marketing campaign.