The world has gone digital, and so has the way we do business. Traditional marketing methods such as print and TV ads are no longer as effective as they used to be. With the rise of the internet and social media, businesses and digital marketing go hand in hand. Businesses need to adapt their marketing strategies to stay competitive and remain relevant in this modern era.

Digital marketing uses electronic devices and the Internet to easily reach target audiences.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing refers to any marketing strategy that uses electronic devices and the Internet. The goal of digital marketing is to promote products or services, create a relationship with potential customers, build brand awareness, and ultimately, drive sales. Digital marketing is a broad term that encompasses a range of marketing tactics including search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and more.

Digital Marketing Examples

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO involves optimizing a website’s content and structure to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This helps to drive organic traffic to a website and increase the chances of conversion.

Some important things to consider when optimizing a web page include:

• Content quality
• Mobile-friendliness
• Quality and number of inbound links
• Level of consumer engagement

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

PPC is a form of online advertising, where businesses pay each time a user clicks on their ad. This can be an effective way to drive targeted traffic to a website, resulting in higher conversion rates.

Factors to keep in mind when creating ads for PPC are:

• Ad quality
• Relevance of keywords
• Quality of your landing page
• Your bid amount

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing involves promoting products or services on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This can help increase brand awareness and engagement with customers.

Some best practices for an effective social media strategy include:

• Creating high-quality and engaging content
• Answering all comments and questions in a professional manner
• Creating a schedule for your social media posts
• Knowing your audience and which social media platform they are active on

Email Marketing

Email marketing involves sending promotional messages to a targeted list of subscribers. This can be an effective way to build relationships with customers and to generate leads.

Some tips for creating a great email campaign include:

• segmenting your audiences to ensure they receive relevant emails
• ensuring your emails are mobile-friendly
• having a campaign schedule
• running A/B testing to get the best possible result from a campaign

Content Marketing

Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable content to attract and engage a target audience. This helps build brand awareness and establish a business as an authority in its industry.

Content marketing encompasses:

• blog posts
• e-books
• newsletters
• video or audio transcripts
• whitepapers
• infographics

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing entails partnering with influential individuals or industry experts on social media. These individuals endorse and promote your products or services to their dedicated followers. This builds awareness and trust with potential customers.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing allows other businesses or individuals to make money by promoting your products or services. Their incentive is to be paid commission when someone buys the product or service they promote. This expands your customer base and increases sales.

Affiliate marketing channels include:

• YouTube partner programs hosting video ads
• social media accounts posting affiliate links

Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing promotes your products and services on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This allows you to engage with your target audience while they are on the go.

Forms of mobile marketing include:

• SMS and MMS messages
• mobile app alerts

Video Marketing

The average person watches approximately 84 minutes of video a day, which is around 17 hours a week. This is why video marketing, which involves creating and sharing videos to promote your products and services, is a necessity in your digital marketing strategy. Video marketing allows you to engage with customers and build brand awareness.

The popular video marketing platforms are:

• YouTube
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok

What Does a Digital Marketer Do?

A digital marketer develops and implements digital marketing strategies to promote products or services. This includes researching and analyzing target audiences, creating marketing campaigns, and measuring the effectiveness of those campaigns. Digital marketers may also be responsible for managing social media accounts, creating content, and optimizing websites for search engines.

Why Digital Marketing is Important

1. wider reach

Digital marketing allows businesses to reach a wider audience than traditional marketing methods. With the internet, businesses can reach customers all over the world, making it easier to expand their customer base.

2. cost-effective

Digital marketing can be more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods. For example, social media marketing and email marketing can be much cheaper than print advertising or TV commercials.

3. measurable results

With digital marketing, businesses can track and measure the results of their campaigns. This allows businesses to make informed decisions about where to invest their marketing budget.

4. targeted advertising

With digital marketing, businesses can target their advertising to specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This helps to increase the chances of conversion and maximize the return on investment (ROI).

5. real-time feedback

Digital marketing allows businesses to receive real-time feedback from customers. This helps businesses to improve their products or services based on customer feedback, resulting in higher customer satisfaction.

“Businesses can leverage digital marketing to communicate with customers in real-time, engage them in real-time conversations, and make data-driven decisions based on that information.”

– Michelle King-Tracey,  Digital Marketing Faculty Head at Eastern College

6. brand building

Digital marketing builds brand awareness and establishes a business as an authority in its industry. By creating and sharing valuable content, businesses can build trust and credibility with potential customers.

7. competitive advantage

Digital marketing can provide businesses with a competitive advantage in today’s digital landscape. By utilizing various digital marketing channels, businesses can stay ahead of their competition and generate more leads and sales.

“Businesses need to adapt to remain relevant and competitive as our lives become increasingly digitized. At a time when the world is just a click away, businesses of all sizes cannot afford to ignore digital marketing.”

– Michelle King-Tracey, Digital Marketing Faculty Head at Eastern College

Digital marketing is a crucial component of any modern business’ marketing strategy. With its ability to reach a wider audience, drive engagement, and deliver measurable results, digital marketing provides businesses with a competitive edge in today’s digital landscape. By utilizing various digital marketing channels, businesses can build brand awareness, generate leads, and ultimately, increase sales. Digital marketers play a vital role in developing and implementing these digital marketing strategies, requiring a combination of analytical, creative, technical, and strategic skills to drive results. As businesses continue to shift their focus to digital channels, the importance of digital marketing will only continue to grow.

If you are interested to pursue a career in digital marketing, check out Eastern College’s Business and Digital Marketing Specialist or Digital Marketing Online program page for more information.