What Is the Importance of Digital Marketing? A Simple Explanation
You’ve just started a new business. You’re trying to get it as much exposure as possible. As such, you’re thinking about giving this “digital marketing” thing a go.
But before you do, you want to gain a better understanding of what digital marketing is and how it’s important. Look no further. We can provide you with that understanding.
Read on to learn about the importance of digital marketing!
Why is Digital Marketing Important?
We’re living in the digital age. A good majority of our time is spent online. If a business isn’t advertising itself online, it’s missing out on many potential customers and/or clients.
There’s still an audience with radio, cable, and local television. However, these mediums are becoming less popular daily, with more consumers turning to various streaming services.
For this reason, you should start ramping up your digital marketing efforts even if you’re getting by without digital marketing right now. The longer you wait, the farther you’ll fall behind your competitors. If you fall too far behind, you might never catch up; this could eventually spell the end of your business altogether.
Types of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing comes in many different forms, each of which is beneficial. We’ll discuss the most prominent and the most effective of these forms below.
Social Media Marketing
Perhaps the most well-known form of digital marketing is social media marketing. Social media marketing is a form of digital marketing that occurs on — where else? — social media platforms. These run the gamut from Facebook to Twitter, Instagram to LinkedIn, and more.
Social media marketing is as simple as posting statuses and sharing documents through your business oriented-pages. In doing so, you can create a sort of online “personality” for your business, helping to familiarize your business with potential customers and/or clients.
This form of marketing can be highly beneficial, as it brings you into direct communication with your customer base. Not only can you post relevant content on your various profiles, but you can also converse with those who engage with that content. This helps build relationships with potential clients, allowing for more and more sales over time.
SEO
Another form of digital marketing: SEO or Search Engine Optimization. This is a form of marketing wherein you use many strategies to rank higher in search engines like Google. If done right, you can land your website on a search engine’s first page for relevant keywords, exposing you to tens, hundreds, thousands, and maybe even millions of web users monthly.
Now, SEO is not a sure thing. It requires a long-term battle against other businesses in your industry as well as against the search engines’ scrutinizing algorithms. Facilitating good SEO takes time, patience, and a great deal of technical know-how.
That said, if you’re able to land one of those coveted first-page spots, you could drive substantial traffic to your website. If you remain in a first-page position, you could become one of your industry’s leaders.
Note that SEO is carried out locally, nationally, and globally. So, whether you’re trying to gain exposure in Gainesville, Florida only, for example, or are hoping to appeal to the entirety of the United States (or the world!), there is a possibility of doing so.
All of this said SEO isn’t easily done on one’s own. If you want to make it work, you’re advised to utilize the services of professionals, like the ones at this digital marketing company, for instance.
PPC
If you’re comfortable putting money down, you should consider PPC or Pay Per Click marketing. This is a form of digital marketing in which ads are posted to various websites and social media platforms. Then, if someone clicks on one of these ads, a fee is charged to the advertiser.
PPC marketing is a great short-term option, as it enables you to get your business seen almost immediately. This is in contrast to SEO, which takes months and sometimes even years to get you where you need to be.
The key to PPC marketing is to target the correct audience. If you target the correct audience, you’ll likely make more sales than you spend on fees. If you target the wrong audience, on the other hand, you could fail to gain new clients and could even end up wasting substantial amounts of money in the process.
There’s a lot that goes into PPC marketing. If you’re interested in pursuing it, you’re advised to read up on it in more detail.
Email Marketing
The last form of digital marketing we will discuss is email marketing. Aptly named, email marketing involves sending emails to individuals on a subscriber list. These emails should be filled with marketing content and should be devised to either retain customers or convert sales.
Email marketing is generally done on a mass scale. When an email marketing campaign is launched, it generally entails sending thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of emails simultaneously.
The conversion rate for email marketing campaigns is fairly low. However, because it involves corresponding with many individuals, it’s generally fairly successful.
You need to engage in email marketing if you sell goods or services nationally or globally. It’s arguably the best way to curate and maintain a customer base.
Now That You Understand the Importance of Digital Marketing
Now that you understand the importance of digital marketing, you might be looking for additional information on the matter. If so, you’re in the right place. Our website has all the information you need.
Build your digital marketing acumen by checking out our other articles now! Like this article? Don’t hesitate to share it on social media!
With over 20+ years of experience in a variety of corporate and entrepreneurial environments, Diana has developed a great understanding of Marketing Strategy, Brand Development, Customer Success, Public Relations and Management. Her internal drive for developing others and external brands, has allowed her to work in some of the largest cities in the world including Milan, Paris, NY, Mexico, and the Middle East. This experience has been fundamental to Diana’s success and ability to communicate cross-culturally.
