What Is Digital Marketing?

Because marketing is about reaching your audience at the right place, businesses must prepare to connect with them where they already exist: online. 

Digital marketing offers an opportunity to meet your potential customer over the internet. It lets brands enhance engagement, build their reputation, and promote their products and services via digital channels.

Learn what digital marketing is and its capability to transform businesses for the better in the guide below. 

What Is Digital Marketing? 

Digital marketing refers to all the marketing practices that take place online. Businesses use different digital channels, including emails, search engines, social media, and websites, to retain existing customers and target potential ones. 

This also includes the connection built via multimedia messages and texts. Essentially, marketing campaigns involving digital communication are lumped into digital marketing. 

Digital Marketing - Where It All Started

The history of digital marketing can be traced back to the 1990s. It all started with the rise of the internet and the development of Web 1.0. 

Web 1.0 enabled users to search for information over the web. However, it didn’t allow them to share information online. Until then, the marketers weren’t certain about the digital platform's usage because it wasn’t fully deployed yet. 

The first clickable banner went viral in 1993. Following this, HotWired bought a few ad banners for online advertising, which led to the birth of digital marketing. 

The gradual transition made the development of new technologies possible in the next year. It was the same year Yahoo was built and marketed. 

Fast forward to 1996, when more tools and search engines appeared, including Alexa and HotBot. Two years later, Google was born, and Microsoft developed the MSN search engine with it. 

Shortly after, Web 2.0 emerged, allowing users to interact more actively over the internet, and soon social networking sites were developed. The arrival of MySpace, the first networking site, was followed by Facebook. 

Today, numerous digital channels allow brand promotion, from Instagram to Twitter. It would be safe to say that social networking sites have had a significant impact on digital marketing, and they have revolutionised how businesses promote brands. 

Importance of Digital Marketing 

Although traditional marketing hasn’t vanished, businesses have become more reliant on digital marketing for good reasons. To begin with, this marketing strategy lets you target a larger audience base than traditional marketing. 

This means the likelihood of people purchasing a product or a service increases. We’ll take a closer look at why else digital marketing matters.

Digital Marketing Lets You Focus On People Who Are More Likely to Buy Your Products or Services 

Placing a product ad on a billboard or a magazine gives you less control over who sees it. While you can know a few demographics, it’ll be a wild guess. 

Digital marketing, conversely, lets you recognise and target a specific audience, making your marketing more customised and targeted. 

For instance, social media targeting allows you to display ads to a specific audience based on different variables, including gender, behaviour, location, or interests. Conversely, SEO tactics let you display ads specifically to people who’ve shown interest in your product or service.

Digital Marketing Is Affordable

Digital marketing enables you to monitor campaign performance. This means you can track which campaign isn’t performing well and alter your strategies accordingly, boosting your Return on Investment (ROI). 

Contrarily, the same isn’t true for traditional marketing. You cannot do much if a billboard for your brand doesn’t perform well. You’ll have to pay for it at the end of the day - even if it doesn’t contribute to your ROI. 

What’s more, digital marketing gives you control over where you want to invest your money. For instance, you may want to spend money on PPC campaigns rather than building a software to create engaging content on Facebook. This keeps your money safe and ensures you make the most out of the funds spent.

It Enables You to Compete With Other Brands In Your Industry 

As a small business, you might have thought it was challenging to compete with big names in the industry for obvious reasons - they have billions to invest in digital marketing campaigns. 

However, digital platforms offer numerous opportunities to outshine big industry players with a strategic mindset. Search engines do not care about the brand name but rather content that intrigues visitors and relates to the target audience. So long as you build a strategy to create such content, search engines will prioritise it.

It Boosts Conversion Rate By Targeting Audience At Each Stage

Digital marketing lets you be the early bird by targeting the customers at the beginning of the buyer journey. This enables you to push them through the sales funnel from start to finish and the stages in between. 

Understanding customer pain points and taking steps to mitigate them is an essential step to converting leads. 

Fortunately, digital marketing lets you track the progress and alter your targeting strategies accordingly, which means a stronger connection with customers and more business.

You Can Alter the Campaign Depending On the Results 

Because digital marketing is measurable, you can flip your strategy depending on the results. 

For instance, if a campaign you implemented didn’t work as expected, you can tweak the strategy for better results. A typical example of it can be online ads. You can quickly alter or pause them if the audience reacts differently from what you expected. 

This keeps you from starting the campaign all over again.

Types of Digital Marketing 

Digital marketing is beneficial for all businesses and industries. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. A company's strategy depends on its unique preferences, from budget to business objectives. 

We’ve rounded up key digital marketing tactics that can take any business to the next level if leveraged correctly.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Search Engine Optimisation, a popular technique, involves using methods to rank your website on SERPs, thereby boosting traffic. You can use SEO for your blog posts and other website content as a business owner. 

Numerous ways to develop SEO strategies include but aren’t limited to the following. 

• Technical SEO deals with what happens behind the screen. From structuring data to optimising the CSS file, technical SEO boosts your website’s loading speed - an undeniably critical factor Google uses to rank websites. 

• On-page SEO. As the name suggests, this SEO tactic focuses on content published on the website page. You can make the content more reachable using keywords with high search volume. 

• Off-page SEO. This SEO strategy focuses on the activity taking place off the website page. One may wonder how such an activity could rank you on SERPs. Backlinks are the answer. The authority of links also plays a role in attracting external traffic, which means more viewers.

Social Media Marketing 

With numerous social media users globally, there isn’t a reason not to leverage it in your digital marketing strategy. Your target audience is out there; you only need to find a suitable method to reach out to them on a social platform. 

You can use different social platforms, from Facebook to Twitter and Instagram to LinkedIn, to create a workable campaign. 

History shows numerous strategic social media campaigns going viral, including #ShareACoke by Coca-Cola and Redbull’s #PutACanOnIt. So, social media has the power to transform your business overnight; the key is to offer value to your target customers.

Email Marketing 

With popular social media channels, emails may feel old-school. However, with a user base of over 4 billion people, emails have the ability to generate astounding revenue for your business. 

It allows you to target your ideal customers directly in their inboxes. You can promote products, share events, or even direct the audience to your business website. Different types of emails include: 

• Welcome emails 

• Subscription Newsletters 

• Product promotion 

• Follow-up emails 

• Thank You emails 

• Lead nurturing emails

Content Marketing 

This refers to the promotion of the brand via different content strategies. For example, you can use the following channels for content marketing. 

• Videos and audio. Though radio and television are popular audio/visual content examples, you can also share videos online to reach a broader audience. 

• Blogs. The importance of informational blogs on relevant topics is undeniable. In fact, publishing value-driven blog posts on your website is one of the best methods to generate organic traffic. It offers a natural way to entice the audience and encourage them to learn more about your brand. 

• Graphics. Where all else fails, visuals work. You can create intriguing infographics to teach the audience about your business. 

• Ebooks are a great way to educate your readers in exchange for their contact information. Businesses later use this contact information to move them through the buyer’s journey.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC) 

This type of marketing involves you paying each time someone clicks on an ad you posted. It lets you purchase the visits on your website, besides increasing organic visitors. 

One typical example of PPC ads includes Google ads that require you to pay a fee per click for ranking on Google.

Other platforms you can use for Pay-Per-Click advertising are listed below. 

• Twitter. Business owners can pay for posts to appear on the newsfeed of audiences with specific demographics. Again, different businesses will have varying goals to accomplish. For instance, a few might seek to sell a product, while others may want to increase their Twitter following. 

• Facebook allows you to personalise an image, a video, or a post for a specific audience. The platform displays customised content to your target audience, allowing you to boost your business within days. 

• LinkedIn lets you send sponsored messages to particular users based on their interests.

Video Marketing 

Netizens love streaming videos. Not only are they fun to watch, but they also help people learn interesting facts. This explains why YouTube reported billions of monthly viewers that flock to different channels. 

Because videos offer a quick way to consume information, they are an excellent method to increase digital traffic and boost conversion rates. You can also embed videos on your website to entice visitors. 

It will get your content more eyes, and visitors will be willing to share informational videos, expanding your reach. 

However, the key is to keep your videos concise. Because online audiences generally have a short attention span, they find to-the-point videos more engaging.

Affiliate Marketing 

If you have minimal resources to start your business, promote someone else’s and earn a commission. This performance-based marketing works by rewarding you for promoting the products or services of other business owners. 

You can post the link on social media or incorporate an ad on your YouTube channel. The more people purchase the product by clicking the link you shared, the more income you generate.

Influencer Marketing 

Influencer marketing is another powerful tool to reach your ideal customers and increase traffic on your page - organically. 

From fitness gurus to beauty enthusiasts, social media influencers have numerous loyal customers. Businesses can partner with influencers in their industry and leverage their massive following to promote their services and products. 

Giveaways, Sponsored posts, and product reviews are some popular influence marketing tactics. Regardless of the method you pick, it helps to target the audience in a more personalised way - no wonder why the market is getting bigger and more influential.

How to Get Started 

With numerous digital marketing tactics, picking the right one might feel challenging. However, it is more likely to be a breeze if you are familiar with your business goals and know your target audience. 

Here’s how you can get started with a successful digital marketing campaign.

Set Your Goal 

Every business has a unique goal to fulfil. The key here is to identify your goal and pick a marketing strategy accordingly. For instance, if you seek to grow your audience and boost brand awareness, posting engaging content on social media might help. 

Alternatively, businesses willing to grow product sales might use PPC ads or promotional emails. Shaping a marketing strategy becomes easier after determining what you seek to achieve in the coming years. 

Know Your Target Audience 

One of the biggest perks of digital marketing is that it lets you target a particular audience. However, you must first identify your target audience to benefit from it. 

For instance, if you sell Tie-Dye T-shirts and your audience is around 18-25, you might consider promoting products on Instagram. The social channel has a relatively younger audience and prefers short-form videos and memes. So, you’ll build your strategy accordingly. 

Conversely, if you seek to sell your services to a more professional audience, you’d likely turn to a platform like LinkedIn. If you’re starting from scratch, here are some tips for defining your target audience. 

• Begin by defining your product and the pain point it resolves for customers. 

• Conduct thorough market research to know the preferences of your target audience. 

• Analyse your existing customer base. For instance, learn about their age, gender, location, and interests. 

• Look at your competitors’ customer base - who are they targeting?

Create a Budget 

The digital marketing strategy you pick will determine your budget. Generally, the cost of boosting brand awareness through social media, SEO, and blog posts is comparatively less. Creating valuable content and investing time helps reach your potential customer. 

However, opting for paid advertising requires some expense. How much you’d pay here generally depends on what you want to achieve from advertising. For instance, if you seek to rank on SERPs and are competing against the top brands in your industry, the cost will be relatively more. 

Therefore, experts often recommend building organic reach to balance out the budget.

Develop Intriguing Content 

Once you become familiar with your target audience and budget, it’s time to focus on the content. Netizens value informational content that resolves their problems and educates them. 

So, you can boost your organic reach by sharing valuable content on social media and your website. Sending newsletters is another helpful way to enlighten the audience about your brand. 

Numerous business owners turn to professional content creators for this purpose. They know the drill of creating content that piques customer interest and increases lead generation.

Optimise Your Digital Assets for Smartphones 

If you haven’t optimised your digital content for mobile users, we’re afraid you might miss out on targeting a major chunk of your audience. 

Mobile users engaging with your company need a positive experience like desktop users. Therefore, you must make your website mobile-friendly. 

Likewise, social media images must also be designed keeping smartphone users in mind. For instance, larger images are often cut off when viewed on mobile phones. 

Creating content that offers both users a hassle-free experience is critical to achieving business goals.

Get Smart With Your Keyword Research 

Because digital marketing is about reaching your ideal customer, you must know what they search for to create reachable content. Therefore, conducting thorough keyword research and dispersing them naturally in your content is crucial to ensure people find it on search engines. 

Answerthepublic is a popular site for conducting free keyword research. However, you can explore more options for more optimised content. Alternatively, you can hire an SEO strategist to save time and benefit from their experience.

See Where You’re Headed 

An effective marketing strategy is one you alter after measuring analytics. For instance, over time, you may realise your audience isn’t interested in the short-form videos you introduced on Instagram but in Tweets. 

At this point, you must be willing to re-examine your prior strategy and shift to the channel preferred by your audience. 

Because business is where the customer is, your team must be willing to pivot based on the campaign results. Consistent analysis and modification are necessary to ensure success as a business owner.

The Future of Digital Marketing 

The emergence of new technologies and changing consumer behaviour will dramatically affect digital marketing - but in a positive light. 

Here are a few trends you can expect to see in the future. 

• Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is taking over the world, and marketing is no exception. Marketers can use AI tools to generate personalised content and automate marketing efforts. 

• Customisation. The picky bunch of online audiences expect more with each passing day. For instance, more customers today seek personalisation. Digital marketers must henceforth offer customisation to meet the changing customer demand and grow business.

• Voice Search. The soaring popularity of voice assistants like Alexa and Siri has altered customer expectations. Therefore, optimising websites for voice search would likely become necessary in the coming years.

FAQ

What Are Some Latest Digital Marketing Trends? 

Influencer marketing, personalisation, and interactive content production are a few latest digital marketing trends. Influencer marketing entails collaboration with popular influencers in a similar industry, while customisation focuses on offering customer-centric content. Likewise, interactive posts seek to enhance engagement through quizzes and polls.

How Has Digital Marketing Evolved Over the Years? 

Digital marketing has evolved tremendously over the years and for the better. Previously, email marketing was less sophisticated; today, personalised email options have transformed the practice. Likewise, a shift from desktop to mobile devices and basic web design to more interactive websites has been observed. 

Which Digital Marketing Channels Are the Most Effective for Reaching My Ideal Audience?

The most effective digital marketing platforms depend on your business type, goals, and potential customers. For instance, LinkedIn is often used to promote B2B products and services like software or consultation services. Conversely, a visual platform like Instagram is suitable for marketing your beauty or fitness-related E-commerce business.

That’s a Wrap! 

An opportunity to connect with your ideal audience is an opportunity to increase brand awareness and grow your business. Fortunately, digital marketing offers countless opportunities to reach your prospects and convert them. 

Whether you pick a social media platform or go the advertising route, you’ll likely experience business expansion with little smart work. 

Further, you can take a Digital Marketing course at UCD Professional Academy to complement your marketing efforts. The course compiled by industry professionals equips you with the right knowledge and skill to enhance engagement and grow your business like a pro.