What Is Digital Marketing?
In today’s language, it is safe to say Digital marketing is a type of marketing that utilizes the internet and online based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones, and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services.
Why Digital Marketing?
Every business in the world needs more sales, leads, and profits. And it needs to adopt new forms of marketing to do so. Digital marketing is old. But it didn’t have tons of channels up till now. Times have changed. And businesses have shifted accordingly.
Google and social media platforms like Facebook or Linkedin generate more revenue than any traditional media agency. Why? It’s because they get more eyeballs. And that is the reason why digital marketing is essential without a doubt.
In today’s language it’s safe to say digital marketing is the use of the Internet to reach consumers.
Digital Marketing Channels
Now that we have defined digital marketing let’s discuss the channels. The list of digital marketing strategies is also constantly evolving, but here are some of the strategies most businesses are using:
Website Marketing
A website is the centerpiece of all digital marketing activities. Alone, it is a very powerful channel, but it’s also the medium needed to execute a variety of online marketing campaigns. A website should represent a brand, product, and service in a clear and memorable way. It should be fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to use.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Pay-per-click is an internet advertising model used to drive traffic to websites, in which an advertiser pays a publisher when the ad is clicked
PPC advertising enables marketers to reach Internet users on a number of digital platforms such as Google, Bing, Linked In, Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook and show their ads to people searching for terms related to the products or services. PPC campaigns target users based on their demographic characteristics such as by age or gender or even target their particular interests or location.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is a form of marketing focused on creating, publishing, and distributing content for a targeted audience online
The goal of content marketing is to reach potential customers through the use of content. Content is usually published on a website and then promoted through social media, email marketing, SEO, or even PPC campaigns. The tools of content marketing include blogs, ebooks, online courses, infographics, podcasts, and webinars.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is the act of sending a commercial message, typically to a group of people, using email, which is still one of the most effective digital marketing channels. In its broadest sense, every email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing. It involves using email to send advertisements, request business, or solicit.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing, or SMM, is a form of internet marketing that involves creating and sharing content on social media networks in order to achieve your marketing and branding goals. Social media marketing includes activities like posting text and image updates, videos, and other content that drives audience engagement, as well as paid social media advertising.
The primary goal of a social media marketing campaign is brand awareness and establishing social trust. As you go deeper into social media marketing, you can use it to get leads or even as a direct sales channel.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the oldest forms of marketing, and the Internet has brought new life to this old standby. With affiliate marketing, influencers promote other people’s products and get a commission every time a sale is made or a lead is introduced. Many well-known companies like Amazon have affiliate programs that pay out millions of dollars per month to websites that sell their products.
Video Marketing
Video marketing is using videos to promote and market your product or service, increase engagement on your digital and social channels, educate your consumers and customers, and reach your audience with a new medium.
YouTube has become the second most popular search engine and a lot of users are turning to YouTube before they make a buying decision, to learn something, read a review, or just to relax. There are several video marketing platforms, including Facebook Videos, Instagram, or even TikTok to use to run a video marketing campaign
SMS Messaging
Companies and nonprofit organizations also use SMS or text messages to send information about their latest promotions or giving opportunities to willing customers. Political candidates running for office also use SMS message campaigns to spread positive information about their own platforms. As technology has advanced, many text-to-give campaigns also allow customers to directly pay or give via a simple text message.
This was but a highlight on Digital marketing, in the next courses we shall discuss the channels of digital marketing and see how to achieve the result focusing on each channel.
