How Digital Marketing Can Offer Great Marketing Results

What exactly is digital marketing? Simply put, digital marketing is the use of various digital channels including social networking sites and blogs as tools for generating marketing communication. Prior to the emergence of the internet in the 90s, traditional marketing was probably the only form of marketing available.

Although this form of marketing appears to be very convenient in that you do not have to pay for advertising, its effectiveness is debatable. In traditional channels, advertising is a one-time cost that requires recurring fees. However, online platforms require that you register for hosting and services that cost money. This fact makes online platforms an unlikely candidate for marketing. There are some popular third-party digital platforms like SocialGreg that are widely used in marketing campaigns nowadays.

Another problem with traditional methods of marketing is the feedback loop. If you want to increase your sales, you have to constantly evaluate the marketing strategies and if they are not producing, you have to go back and retarget or even change tactics. For digital advertising, the feedback loop is nonexistent. It can therefore be said that digital advertising does not work well in terms of generating customer loyalty because customers do not easily remember and can ignore messages.

The absence of a feedback loop means that marketers can spend more time focusing on creating quality content for their web pages instead of trying to improve the number of visitors. Content is king for Internet marketers. It is also important to note that TV ads are now largely ignored by Internet users. Only 5% of online users watch TV shows posted on web pages. As for online billboards, only 3% of them even look at billboards posted outside stores.

The lack of familiarity of brands with consumers also makes traditional methods of marketing less effective. Online platforms make it possible for marketers to directly engage their audiences. Directing customers toward relevant ads allows marketers to increase conversions as people understand how marketing works well.

Unlike the case with billboards, TV ads can easily be blocked by individuals who want to avoid advertisements. Internet users can easily “opt out” of a marketing campaign. This means that marketers cannot mass-market without his or her audience’s express permission. Again, this makes Internet marketing less costly because reaching target audiences becomes easier.

The most important reason why traditional methods of marketing continue to work well is that most people are comfortable spending money on brands they trust. Even when a brand lacks charisma, it still commands respect. Consumers will pay attention to products they consider reliable and dependable. As long as brands offer value, they have the ability to persuade consumers to buy.

While the above reasons indicate that Internet marketing cannot work well because people are not comfortable spending money, they do not mean that marketers should abandon traditional methods of reaching target audiences. They just need to do it in a smarter way. Instead of sending thousands of coupons, for instance, send a few of them via email to build an opt-in list so that marketers can send out messages more effectively. Direct mail campaigns, too, can reach more people with simple bulk mailing efforts.

Another effective internet marketing tactic is content marketing. Content marketing aims to increase traffic through websites by providing useful information. In most cases, this takes the form of reviews or articles about certain products or services. Since content marketing is very low-cost, it complements other marketing channels very well. Reviews or articles posted on blogs or social media sites can reach a larger audience than the usual sign-ups in email marketing campaigns.

Another tactic that is taking over traditional marketing is the feedback loop. A feedback loop is a system by which marketers use digital media to collect data from their target audience. Once data is collected, marketers then make use of it to further improve their strategies or to change existing ones. With traditional campaigns, marketers usually have to rely on surveys, focus groups, and questionnaires to get data. Through a feedback loop, marketers can easily measure the results of different marketing campaigns and adjust or delete ineffective ones.

As you can see, there are many ways to succeed in online marketing. While some methods work better than others, there are a number of factors that marketers should consider in choosing a certain marketing method. Remember, whatever marketing method you use, remember to carefully plan your strategies, choose the right platform, use content marketing wisely, and thoroughly implement all feedback loops so you can get the best online marketing results. These things will surely help you be successful on the World Wide Web.

Final Word

Now that you know how digital marketing can offer great marketing results for your business, you should start planning on your next move. Go out there and explore all the different platforms available online. There are many opportunities waiting for you. Good luck!