So, what is digital marketing? That is one of the most asked questions in the field these days! Technically speaking, it is defined as “The use of electronic media to promote products or services”. But really, when most people think about digital marketing they think about using online platforms to market a product or service.
That is certainly a part of it, but not all that much of it. Taking a step back, digital marketing covers everything from advertising on social media sites to developing an interactive web page to engaging in sponsored conversations (or chat) on messaging apps like WhatsApp, Slack, or Facebook Messenger.
It also includes designing good logos and brands, creating content to share on various websites and networks, and responding to comments and messages to keep your brand strong. The more involved you are with the digital world, the better chance you have of promoting your company.
And while some of this may sound complicated, doing any of it properly will take very little time to learn. It is best to begin by looking into what areas of digital marketing you would like to get into, and then picking a platform to start with.
This article will go over some basics of different types of digital marketing and how to implement them for your business.
Marketing strategies
A marketing strategy is what actions you will take to promote your business or product. It can be done through various channels, like social media, internet ads, direct mail, etc.
Marketing strategies are usually focused on creating an emotional connection with your audience first before developing confidence in your product or service. This helps create interest in your product or service so that people will want to buy it!
You use different tactics at different times depending on how much energy you have for each campaign. For example, when you run out of money, you stop spending on advertisements. When you’re well funded, you shift towards more expensive advertising methods.
The cost per impression (CPI) online is lower than TV, magazines, and newspapers, which make it less expensive to advertise. Therefore, using digital marketing strategies such as SEO, paid search, and social media advertising is most effective during these low advertisement periods.
Marketing processes
A digital marketing campaign is any activity or tactic that uses interactive media to promote products or services. The term “digital” simply refers to the medium through which these campaigns are conducted.
That means using computers, mobile apps, online platforms, and/or other technology to actively market for your business. You can use computer programs, such as Google Ads, to help you achieve this.
There are three main types of digital marketing strategies. They are:
Older technologies like SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay per click advertising).
More advanced tactics like influencer marketing and content creation.
Newer techniques like paid social media advertisements and shoppable experiences.
These different types of strategies all relate back to one thing – creating an environment where people find out about your company and what it offers.
Influencers may advertise your product on their Instagram feed or Twitter profile. Content creators could make a YouTube video talking about how great your product is. Social media users sharing information about your service will also influence potential customers.
By investing in digital marketing, you’ll increase awareness of your company and up-sell opportunities.
Marketing targets
So what is digital marketing, then? It’s defining the space of possibilities for how to market your business using the internet as your tool.
Digital marketing includes all types of advertising strategies that use online tools and technologies to reach audiences. These include things like social media posting, website design, influencer engagement, paid ads, etc.
Typically, people group these tactics into three main categories: direct marketing (advertising on sites where you already have an account), outreach (reaching out to new websites or individuals) and promotional (giving away products or services to gain exposure).
But sometimes it feels like there are no clear-cut rules when it comes to digital marketing.
Digital platforms
A digital marketing strategy does not have one defined goal or outcome, instead it is about creating an environment where your company’s products and services can be accessed via different channels to grow your business.
Most companies now rely heavily on digital media to get their messages across and connect with new customers. This includes things like social media sites, search engines, smartphone apps, email newsletters, and more.
It’s important to remember that no channel of communication will work effectively unless you use it! By using all these mediums, you are giving your company a chance to be seen by its potential audience.
Furthermore, digital media don’t cost anything to create, which makes them a very efficient tool for reaching out to people. All this adds up to why most big businesses employ at least some form of digital marketing.
But what exactly constitutes as digital marketing? It’s making sure your company’s products and services are accessible through various online platforms to increase your reach.
Online marketing
So what is digital marketing, then? This includes all of the ways you can advertise your business or product online. These include:
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter
Article writing blogs
Online advertisements such as Adwords or YouTube ads
E-mail campaigns
Press releases
Including these services in your advertising strategy will give your business exposure to a wider audience.
It’s important to remember that people look at pictures and videos more often than text, so use this to your advantage by designing engaging advertisements. Your advertisement should tell a story, grab someone’s attention, and be clear.
Social media marketing
So what is social media marketing, then? This is arguably one of the most important things you can do to take your small business to the next level.
Social media has become an integral part of our lives. It’s not something that will go away any time soon. In fact, it seems like every day we are seeing new ways to use it for both personal and professional purposes.
And while some people may poo-poo the idea of using it for your business, I have got to say – why would you?!
It makes sense to consider social media as another form of advertising. Except this is ‘good’ advertising because it is direct, cost effective, and interactive!
Your potential customers can chat with you, comment under your posts, send you messages, etc… all without having to leave the web page or app where they originally found out about your company.
This is very efficient way to market your product or service if done correctly.
But how does someone know they are doing it right? There are no magic tricks when it comes to social media marketing, but there ARE strategies you can implement into your campaign to help make sure it works for you.
Digital marketers spend a lot of time studying different forms of online communication so that they can learn how to apply them to their own campaigns.
That is what made me interested in digital marketing as a career path.
Email marketing
With the explosion of technology, there are now many ways to market your business via digital media. This includes everything from advertising on social media sites, to email marketing, and even using apps to promote your business!
Email is one of the most effective forms of digital marketing you can use to grow your business. It’s cost-effective, easy to implement, and doesn’t require too much investment or expertise.
It’s also one of the most straightforward types of marketing; all you need to do is pick up the phone and send an email!
There are several great free tools that make it quick and simple to create and send professional looking emails. Plus, you get the added benefit of being able to track how well they work by seeing if people read them and clicked on links!
What is link collectionism? It’s when individuals collect large numbers of linked-from websites in order to look more authoritative. By creating lots of short descriptions with very little content, they can appear more credible.
Display advertising
Another form of social media marketing that can be tough to manage is display advertisements or ads. With this, you will still need to make sure your followers are aware of the advertisement, but instead of promoting an item, you advertise a service or group.
This is very common in platforms such as Snapchat, where people advertise their accounts for money or things they want to do. There’s even a way to promote yourself so that others may know about you!
By using tools like AdWords or Facebook Ads, you will find it easy to create and place advertisements. Just remember to keep them relevant and catchy to gain more attention and engagement.
Google Adwords is a great tool for anyone looking to start digital marketing.
