Digital marketing encompasses a wide range of platforms and marketing opportunities. It includes any type of marketing that uses a digital format, including social media, SEO, and content marketing as well as your website, email marketing, and video. A digital marketing plan might begin with constructing a website and optimizing it for SEO. If you have a locally-focused business, that might include focusing on local SEO in addition to critical keywords within your industry. You might include display ads and paid search ads as part of your campaign. You might also focus on sharing content, including video content, on social media, and sending out content to your email list. If you work with a media partner, you might incorporate their platforms and pages as well as in your digital marketing plan.
The Importance of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing, as a term, was used for the first time in the 1990s. In 1998, Google began to emerge. By the early 2000s, social media became a more important platform for advertisers and users alike. Advertisers have been quick to take advantage of digital marketing opportunities. Why? Because digital marketing offers numerous advantages for businesses. Digital marketing:
- Helps get your brand in front of a large number of people at a time
- Provides the chance to meet customers where they already are, using the information they're already searching for
- Allows advertisers to highly target their audience
- Often proves highly cost-effective
Today's consumers use more digital media than ever. Brands that do not use digital marketing at all are missing out on an immense opportunity. For many brands, that means being left behind by their competitors. An effective digital marketing plan, on the other hand, can help you stand out from the crowd and establish your brand's place in your industry.
Types of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing includes a wide range of marketing options, opportunities, and platforms. Here are some of the top forms of digital marketing:
Your Website
Your website is your business's primary online presence. In 2019, e-commerce sales accounted for 14.1% of retail sales. Thanks to the pandemic, 2020 likely has far higher e-commerce statistics than ever before. In food and drink alone, for example, e-commerce could make up as much as 58.5% of sales for the year. With a well-built website, you can encourage customers to check out what you have to offer, keep them on your page, and provide them with vital information that will help build trust in your business.
Social Media
As of 2019, around 79% of the US population used social media on a regular basis. Social media includes familiar platforms like Facebook and Instagram, which are often targets for marketers. It also, however, incorporates platforms like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and more. Social media ads not only generate a great deal of interest and engagement, but they can also provide you with an opportunity to connect with and listen to your audience.
SEM
Search engine marketing, or SEM, allows businesses to place ads within search engine results pages. Ninety-three percent of online experiences begin with a search engine query. By creating search ads that focus on specific keywords or queries, you ensure your brand is visible to those users.
SEO
The top three Google search results get an average of 75% of the clicks. Many users never go past the first page of search results, so it’s important to implement search engine optimization best practices to show up there. Through SEO you can increase your visibility and bring more users to your page.
PPC Ads
PPC, or pay-per-click ads, are charged according to the number of people who actually click on the digital ad, regardless of how many users see it. PPC ads can be on search engine pages or appear as ads on other websites.
Retargeting
Retargeting ads is the process of placing ads in front of visitors who have been to your website or interacted with your content in the past. This marketing tactic can increase engagement by up to 400%. Through retargeting, you can remind website visitors about all the great things your site has to offer and encourage them to engage with you again. Consumers often need multiple touchpoints before choosing to make a purchase. Retargeting can increase those vital touches and improve your sales success.
Email Marketing
Email marketing has a median ROI of 122%. Through email marketing, you're able to connect with consumers who have already shared their information with your business by opting-in. Those users are more likely to be interested in your brand.
Video Marketing
Eighty-four percent of people admit that watching a video has caused them to try out a new product or service. Video has a high emotional appeal, making it a great marketing tool to attract new, and existing, customers. Through your marketing efforts, you can connect those emotions to your business.
KPIs for Measuring Digital Marketing Success
A KPI, or key performance indicator, can provide a vital measurement of success in your digital marketing campaigns. Start by considering the goal of your campaigns, then evaluate the KPIs that will help you measure your success. Common KPIs for digital advertising include:
A KPI, or key performance indicator, can provide a vital measurement of success in your digital marketing campaigns. Start by considering the goal of your campaigns, then evaluate the KPIs that will help you measure your success. Common KPIs for digital advertising include:
- Sales
Leads
Cost per lead (CPL)
Website views
Ad views
Social media engagement
Ready to get started on your digital marketing journey? A media partner can help from start to finish. They will provide you with the latest statistics and information about your digital marketing efforts while helping you expand your reach. You can get access to things like: your media partner's email lists, social media page, website, and more as you build your digital marketing plan. Digital marketing boasts great results for industries across the board. With the proper knowledge and resources, you can see results from it too.
