Digital marketing channels are an integral part of any company’s online marketing campaign. Traditional marketing methods of marketing brands, products and services make use of either direct or indirect methods of reaching potential customers. These methods are usually quite clear cut and straightforward, with the process basically consisting of investing money, performing certain actions, and then getting results.
However, in recent years, the landscape for business and marketing has drastically changed. The current market is largely powered by the complexities and vast wealth of opportunities provided by the internet, meaning that certain traditional methods of marketing which were once very effective may not work as well. This is why is it essential that your business and brand establish and maintain a strong online presence in order to be competitive enough to reach out to and attract target audiences. However, with several online marketing tools available, which one, or set of methods, do you choose for your business?
Email Marketing
Email marketing is perhaps one of the simplest and oldest forms of online marketing, and has the potential to both go horribly wrong or incredibly well, depending on how the method is executed. When conducting email marketing, it is vital to keep in mind that you need to engage and interest your target audience, rather than annoy them with spam mail. If you spam your email list, you are going to wind up with readers unsubscribing or worse, blocking your mailing address. However, composing emails which are interesting and engage your readers has the potential to drive more traffic to your business site or social media profile and result in more followers and certainly increased sales. When composing your marketing emails, experts recommend split testing your mailing list with a number of different email types to determine which works best and generates the best results.
Pay Per Click Advertising
Paying for advertising space on another website or blog can be quite costly, especially if you’re not generating that much revenue from the ad. In order to minimize your losses, Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising is a method that is much used by businesses in a number of different industries. With this method of advertising, you display an ad on another site, however you are only required to pay if the ad generates a sale. The amount of commission which you will be required to pay will vary depending on the search terms and the products or services which you are advertising. The effectiveness of PPC depends on how well you choose your keywords for targeting potential customers, as well as how well you optimize both the visual and contextual information displayed. For the best results, contact an AdWords agency to assist.
Search Engine Optimization
Almost everybody who has ever used the internet will have used a search engine in order to look for something that they want to know or find online. In fact, statistics show that up to 93% of online experiences are usually started through the use of a search engine. Internet users use search engines such as Google to find information about brands, companies, products and services, and up to 59% of search engine users each month are reported to have found a local business which suits a particular need. SEO is a vital digital marketing technique for both online and offline businesses, and involves various activities such as keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization, and organic link building amongst others.
Social Media Marketing
Using social media for a digital marketing campaign is quickly becoming one of the most powerful ways in order to both attract and engage with customers, both existing and potential. In today’s digital age, it’s difficult to find an individual who doesn’t use some form of social media, with Facebook and Twitter being the most commonly used. Through social media marketing, digital marketers are able to reach out to their target audience using direct communication. The number of individuals using social media is increasing daily, and businesses and digital marketers are no different. In order to stand out from the competition, it’s important to be well established on social media as this gives you an appearance of trustworthiness and reliability which is important. Along with this, the level of communication which is achievable through social media gives you a method of truly engaging with customers that is more effective than simple advertising.
Which social media marketing method would you recommend to other business owners? Which would you say has been the most effective for you? Let us know in the comments.
