Digital marketing is advertising done through electronic devices like computers, tablets, and phones. It uses websites, social media, emails, and apps to reach customers. Digital marketing has become very important as more people go online to search, shop, and connect.
Some main benefits of digital marketing are:
- Reach many people across locations
- Send targeted messages to specific groups
- Engage and build relationships with customers
- Track results to see what works
- More affordable than newspaper or TV ads
As life moves online, brands need digital marketing to connect with customers where they are. Digital marketing needs special skills but gives good results.
Here are some main types of digital marketing:
Search Engine Optimization
SEO makes websites and content rank higher in Google search results. Higher rank means more people see your site. To do SEO, research popular search terms related to your business. Use these terms in headlines, URLs, and content. This helps search engines understand the topic so they rank the page higher. Also get other sites to link back to your site using keywords. Quality sites linking to you signals you are an authority. All this helps improve search rank.
Pay-Per-Click Ads
PPC ads show alongside search results or on other sites. Advertisers bid on keywords. They pay only when users click their ads. PPC lets advertisers target people searching for related terms. This gives quick results if done right. Google Ads and Microsoft Ads are platforms offering PPC. PPC is an auction so you have to bid the right amounts based on what others are bidding. Track clicks and sales to see if PPC is working for your business.
Social Media Marketing
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube have billions of users. This makes them great for brands to have a presence, engage with current and possible future customers. Activities include: creating branded profiles, posting content, running ads and contests, seeing analytics. Social media is visual so great for increasing brand awareness. It also lets brands connect with consumers in a more personal way to build loyalty.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is creating helpful blog posts, videos, infographics and more. Quality content builds trust and authority with your audience. Put it on your company blog, YouTube, Medium, etc. Content helps guide potential customers by answering their questions. It shows your knowledge. Use keywords so content can be found by search engines. Make sure content encourages visitors to engage further.
Email Marketing
Email allows direct contact with customers. Send promotional emails about sales or new products. Send helpful newsletters with tips and articles. Transactional emails confirm orders or shipping. Build a subscriber list based on customer interests so emails are more personal. Test subject lines and content to get best results. Track opens, clicks, sales from emails to improve.
Web Analytics
Digital marketing creates a lot of user data. Analytics tools track insights like website visitors, conversions, sales trends. This helps see ROI for activities and where to improve. Common software is Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics. CRM systems may also have analytics built in. Use this data to refine marketing and increase results.
Conversion Rate Optimization
CRO means improving website conversion rates – turning visitors into customers. Identify where people drop off in the buying journey. Test different page designs, content, CTAs, etc to see what converts better. Tools like Optimizely and CrazyEgg can help with testing. Keep improving customer experience to boost conversions over time.
Marketing Automation
This software automates repetitive marketing tasks like email campaigns, social media posting, customer journeys. This saves time so marketers can focus on strategy. Features include landing page and form builders, lead scoring, personalized messaging. Top platforms are HubSpot, Marketo, Adobe Campaign. Integrates with CRM software for full view of customers.
In summary, brands now have many digital options to reach and engage customers online. Using multiple channels together drives best results. Continually test and analyze performance to optimize activities. With consumers going digital, brands must meet them there to connect and grow their business.
Conclusion
Digital marketing spend grows each year as companies see results. A HubSpot study found 80% of marketers said digital efforts increased website traffic. For brands to stay relevant, having a digital marketing strategy is key.
Activities must be tracked to know what is working and not. Marketers should adapt to new trends but also stick to fundamentals like conveying value. Balance branding with direct response. Test different mixes to find what resonates.
Digital marketing will keep evolving with new ways to understand and interact with customers. Staying flexible to update strategies along with this innovation will be important. This will determine who wins customer attention and loyalty in the future.
