In our online evolution, Digital Marketing has quickly expanded into many facets.
These facets include any form of marketing that exists online or digitally, to connect customers to products and businesses.
The four main channels that require close examination, are:
- search
- social media
- websites
Further digital connections can be made via:
- push notifications
- mobile text messaging
- mobile apps
- podcasts/vodcasts
- electronic billboards
- digital television
- ebooks
How important is Digital Marketing?
To communicate with customers you need to go where they are
People are actively looking down at their smart phones and it’s very seldom that we come across someone who does not have one, also with more than 13 million internet subscribers in Australia (noted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in October 2016), engaging with customers via digital/online technology is where it’s at!
People also want brands they can trust
Companies can now actively engage with their customers through social media and send out regular email communications that are personalised and relevant, and deliver offers that are tailored to specific needs and preferences.
And it’s not only the messages that you are sending out…
Remember ‘word-of-mouth’ being one of the strongest ways to influence a prospective customer to come your way?
…well now times that by 1000! With the rise of online communities, forums and product reviews, news travels fast and consumers can now find out details about your product or service via someone who has already tried it.
Benefits of Digital Marketing
Gain insight through web analytics and identify trends and patterns with visitors
Unlike traditional marketing, we can see how people are interacting with our brand before they have made a purchase. Through web analytics we can find out how many people are viewing our pages, how they got there, what keywords they are using in search and what devices/browsers they view our website on.
We can also see what adverts are successful, track our conversions and measure the return of investment on our marketing efforts.
Advertising through digital channels can be relatively cheap
Although this is true, to do it right can require expertise, also as a result, it’s becoming a lot harder to capture consumers’ attention.
Increase your online reach, through:
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
The process of optimising your website to ‘rank’ higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), therefore increasing the amount of organic (or free) traffic that your website receives.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
The promotion of websites by increasing your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) primarily through paid advertising.
Content Marketing
Create and share online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.
Inbound Marketing
A strategy that utilises many forms of pull marketing – content marketing, blogs, events, SEO, social media and more – to create brand awareness and attract new business.
Social Media Marketing
Use of social media platforms to promote a product or service, increase brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads for your business.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
A model in which advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. One of the most common types of PPC is Google AdWords.
Affiliate Marketing
A type of performance-based advertising where you receive commission for promoting someone else’s products or services on your website.
Native Advertising
Native advertising refers to advertisements that are primarily content-led and featured on a platform alongside other, non-paid content.
Marketing Automation
Marketing automation software platforms exist with the goal of automating marketing actions. Generally they will have tasks scheduled such as sending emails, social media, and other website actions.
Email Marketing
Use email marketing as a way to communicate with your audience. Email is often used to promote content, discounts and events, as well as to direct people towards your website.
Online PR
Online PR is the practice of securing earned online coverage with digital publications, blogs, and other content-based websites. It’s much like traditional PR, but in the online space.