So, what is digital marketing? It’s the practice of promoting businesses by using a variety of online platforms to promote their services and products as well as generate leads and sales. Online marketing includes all types of internet-based promotional activities including advertising on websites, social media channels, email newsletters, videos, mobile apps, etc. Companies can use different methods to reach their customers including SEO that helps them rank higher in search results. They can also use pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements, content marketing, influencer marketing, or social media. A number of companies are already shifting toward digital marketing because it helps them build brand awareness and increase sales without putting resources into building and maintaining physical stores throughout the year. For example, Netflix provides viewers with access to exclusive releases, original programming, and a large catalog of movies and television shows. If you want your business to get discovered on YouTube or Instagram, then you need to do some keyword research for your target audience and create high quality content that will help attract more people. With so many opportunities available to improve brand recognition and boost conversions, there is no reason not to try new techniques to market your business online and gain as much exposure as possible. Here are four reasons why digital marketing is important and how to take advantage of it:
1. Increased ROI with less investment
One of the biggest benefits of digital marketing is lower costs. All businesses don’t have the same budget and the time to dedicate to traditional marketing tactics. But digital marketing has a lot of advantages over other methods, which makes it appealing for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Instead of spending money on ads and billboards they could do things like create content, run webinars, and send emails instead. While these options seem like extra expenses, there is usually a return on investment that exceeds the cost. In fact, a study conducted by BrightLocal found that 70% of consumers believe that the most valuable thing about their experience at a local store is having that experience recorded online. This means businesses need to be diligent in making sure their online presence meets expectations. Also, if they are trying to engage an existing customer base, digital marketing is an ideal option for bringing traffic to their website. Since 95% of shoppers are likely to remember information from online sources, those are important metrics to track in order to make any sales. Overall, digital marketing allows small businesses and even individuals to build customer loyalty and turn attention to them.
2. Better Search Engine Ranking
Search engine optimization or SEO helps increase traffic to a company’s site and improve its ranking in keywords and Google’s algorithm is used to determine this ranking. When someone enters specific words into Google, such as “buy coffee shops near me,” it will show up related searches. More relevant is the one that shows them the best results based off the user’s search history. As a result, people see that a particular website or the business itself is being shown more often, increasing its chances of appearing. On top of that, when a customer sees a link to your website, he/she will see that yours is more relevant than others. Even better, if that person clicks on another website and finds out about your business, they can book a viewing and review in minutes.
3. Higher Engagement and Conversion Rates
Digital marketing isn’t just good for generating revenue. Most of the clients and visitors who visit a page are likely to stay there longer and click through to the next step if it feels engaging and interesting. However, as a whole, if a visitor stays on a page longer, the chances of buying something increase exponentially. People who visit your website aren’t just consuming content that provides information. Many visitors will stay long enough and get a sense of enjoyment before deciding whether they want to buy something. That is especially true for eCommerce sites. Not only that but when someone stops on the homepage, they become more excited once they land on the “about us” section where the owner mentions other aspects of the business that they love, showing interest. If that happens, they may decide to check out the product and complete the transaction afterward. According to Statista an average shopper spends around six minutes in front of the shopping cart, while it takes only four seconds on Amazon. Thus, it is vital that you invest your time and effort in providing value. One way to do this is to add multiple CTAs within your digital strategy. Some examples include links to FAQ pages, special offers and discounts, coupons and other ways to reward repeat buyers. Furthermore, adding clear call to action buttons, like “Sign Up Now,” will drive people to convert on your landing page and provide them with an effective method for returning.
4. Lead Generation Strategies that Work
As mentioned above, eCommerce retailers have difficulty attracting a significant number of users due to the competition in these industries. However, with targeted ad campaigns and proper keyword selection, a brick and mortar retailer could generate lead generation strategies easily. An example would be creating a Facebook ad campaign of three days. By focusing on these three days to advertise, it gives the potential buyers and sellers time, allowing marketers to focus their efforts elsewhere. Another important point to keep in mind is the “click-through rate” or CTR. Because the majority of the people will end up clicking on your ad at least once, it’s critical to optimize each ad individually. Using copywriting tools to write compelling copy will ensure that these messages resonate with audiences, leading to success. Paying close attention to the language people speak when reading these ads, will allow them to understand each piece of text and know what to expect. There are a few tips that you should consider when doing this, such as: Don’t say “buy now or it’ll come later” Don’t make it sound too serious Try finding a balance between humor and seriousness and avoid selling yourself Don’t rely on emotions alone Be honest and truthful Always have something that catches people’s eye Don’t forget to give value to customers Don’t forget that search engines also factor in demographics in determining rankings for various keywords You won’t achieve overnight success, but you can still accomplish great things with digital marketing. Start small and expand, grow organically. Once you start getting traction, see where you stand, and take steps to build upon it. These four reasons speak for themselves.
