Here’s one that will knock your socks off… 2019 has seen an increase of 366 million internet users; skyrocketing the total amount of internet users to an astronomical figure of 4.39 billion.
So it’s no wonder that the term digital marketing is being thrown around a lot and you have probably heard people talk about the importance of digital marketing, but do many of us really know what it’s all about and what digital marketing actually involves?
Let us shed some light on this topic and equip you with an abundance of knowledge that you can bring up at your next staff meeting to impress your squad.
First off, marketing… what is it? This concept can be a tricky one to define given the broad nature of it. However, in essence, marketing is about connecting with your potential customers at the right place at the right time and getting your audience interested in your product or service. Make no mistake, marketing is one of the most important elements to your business because it is how you build a relationship with your customers and how you create a brand image and reputation.
So, digital marketing is just taking this process online and using numerous tactics that work in harmony to attract customers. Because the internet has 4.39 billion users, it is safe to say this is where your customers hang out… you just have to find them!
So how do we find and attract a customer?
There is an abundance of different strategies involved in digital marketing, but it is very important that each strategy you decide to use compliments each other to give your business the best chance at building a digital footprint that drives sales.
1. Web Development & Landing Pages
This is one of the staples to digital marketing and your business. It’s not just about how the website looks visually; it’s also about creating a website that drives sales and is easy for the customer to navigate.
Yeah, sure – you can get your nephew to build you a website for $100 bucks and an ice cream. However generally there is a reason why web developers and experienced digital marketers charge higher rates… it’s because they design websites in a way that not only look good, but they also drive traffic and sell!
Having a well constructed website is a crucial step to constructing and building a solid digital presence so we highly recommend using a web developer or digital marketer with experience and knowledge.
Get in touch with our team about how we can help with your website – Free consultation.
2. Content Marketing
The ultimate way to show off your business. Content marketing includes creating and distributing valuable, relevant & consistent content to attract and interest your target market. Content marketing is a great way to create brand awareness, drive traffic and generate leads.
But what is content?
Videos, photos, graphic design, animation, blogging…
Anything that involves visual consuming is content! The best bit, you don’t need the latest tech gear to do this! Just a good plan to stick to that is in line with your marketing objectives and creativity. Valuable, interesting content is a great addition to your website; keeping it fresh and making it stand out over your competitors!
3. Social Media Marketing
Everyone knows what social media is right?! But did you know that there are 3.5 billion active social media users? And the average user spends 2 hours and 22 minutes on social media… per day!
So it is no wonder that businesses are jumping on board the social media party as it is a hotspot for their audience! Social media provides businesses with the opportunity to engage with their audience and build a relationship that can eventually evolve into a sale! It provides great platforms to share your content, share other people’s content and keep brand awareness at an all time high!
4. Paid Advertising
This method of digital marketing involves paying for your ads to be published or promoted on various online platforms. Paid advertising is an extremely popular method and you will most likely come across some form of paid advertising multiple times a day! Some of the most common forms of digital paid advertising include:
- Google Ads: A tool that allows your desired website/URL to be listed as a top slot on Google search engines. This is a cost per click paid program. The more you are willing to pay per click, the higher your slot will be.
- Social Media Ads: Users and page owners can pay for their content to be published to newsfeeds of people who match their target market or who may be interested in their business offerings.
5. Email Marketing
Commonly used but something that businesses need to tread carefully with. There is a fine line between helping someone and annoying someone by flooding their inbox with what they may think is spam.
Email marketing is generally used by businesses to communicate with their existing audiences. Emails are commonly used to promote content, sales and events with the goal in mind to drive people to your website and increase sales.
Keller tip: Don’t over-do it with email marketing! And when you do send emails, provide your audience with a tip that will genuinely help them and offer your products in a subtle manner! This is your best chance at getting your recipient to actually open the email and to build a good relationship with them!
There are a lot of strategies involved in digital marketing and it is certainly not limited to the strategies mentioned above, these are just the more commonly used strategies. Whatever route you decide on, it is vital that your strategies are working together and not working against each other!