Every click, search or share that is done on online platforms is a function of Digital Marketing. In many ways, digital marketing is not different from traditional marketing. It is the process of marketing, promoting and displaying products and services on platforms like-
- Search engines (Google, Bing, Safari, etc.)
- Social Media Platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.)
- Aggregator platforms and directories (Yelp, Delivery.com, Amazon, etc.)
From a ten-year-old to a seventy-year-old, almost everyone is browsing the internet. While a ten-year-old might be doing it to look at educational courses and games, a seventy-year-old might be doing the same for health, investment and other factors.
In this article, we will be looking at some critical features related to Digital Marketing like-
- What are some of the advantages of Digital Marketing? Why should anyone want to pursue digital marketing in the first place?
- Which are some of the platforms that brands can exploit when it comes to Digital Marketing?
- Who can opt for Digital Marketing?
- What is the investment in the form of time and finances?
Let us begin with why someone should opt for Digital Marketing- Advantages.
The Major Advantages of Digital Marketing
For people who are unaware of the powers of digital marketing, we have created a small list of the major advantages associated with the medium.
- Awareness and Engagement with the Brand –
It is important to think of digital marketing as a tool for establishing continuous communication with audiences. Primarily, digital marketing creates awareness about the presence of a brand in a particular industry. This means that people are aware of your brand and its products.
By establishing continuous communication, a brand can create meaningful engagement with the consumer. From offering information that helps solve a problem, to directly pitching a brand’s products and solutions as a viable alternative.
- Digital Marketing is cheaper than Traditional Marketing-
For every business, which pays monthly rent for its shop or physical infrastructure, a website creation process is a one-time investment. Yes, there are more expenditures. But if you compare expenditures, you will find that digital marketing is cheaper than other marketing.
Whether it is social media marketing or Google AdWords, or even Content Marketing, almost all digital marketing strategies are inexpensive. This means that you get more benefits through smaller investments.
- You can Track, Monitor and Assess Progress or Failures-
For every dollar spent on digital platforms, the providers (Google, Facebook, etc.) offer you a detailed analysis of where your money is being spent. You can analyze the CTRs (Click-Through-Rates) and the CPCs (Cost-Per-Clicks).
When was the last time a Hoarding or Billboard Company assured you that ‘n’ number of people in your target audience are going to see your billboard and engage with your business?
- Reaching out to New Audiences and different Geographical Locations-
Businesses who are looking to attract new audiences or spread their area of operation can take help from Digital Marketing. Maintaining a digital presence helps you market, promote, brand and sell your products in new markets.
For example, you can simply create an E-commerce store and tie up with local vendors and logistic partners to sell your products and services in markets that are located thousands of miles away from your establishment.
The Main Platforms that Digital Marketing Operates on-
Like every marketing activity, digital marketing thrives on three major platforms. Yes, there are others, but we feel that the following are the most crucial to most brands’ digital successes.
- Search Engines – Ever since the internet was invented, some big billion-dollar players have dominated it. Search engines are probably the most important constituent of digital marketing. Search engines like Google and Bing see billions of search queries that people type every single day.
- Social Media Platforms – Social Media Platforms burst into the scene in the early 2000s. Ever since then, they have become second nature to human existence. Human beings are spending hours and hours hooked to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and other social platforms.
- Aggregator and E-Commerce Platforms – Then there are the major aggregator platforms. Platforms like Amazon, Alibaba, Flipkart, and others are selling third-party vendor goods and services on giant E-commerce sites. As a business, you do not need to have a website or social media to be a part of behemoths like this. However, you can gain a lot by strategically aligning your business to such platforms.
Which Brands and Individuals should pursue Digital Marketing?
This is a common question that most small business owners ask when they first encounter digital marketing. ‘Is it for me’ is written large on their foreheads. Let me state the obvious. Every business regardless of the industry or the scale of operation should have a digital marketing presence.
In 2019, almost all purchase decisions start with online research. If you are not maintaining an active online presence on search and social, you are losing consumers, business and revenues. No matter what the turnover or the nature of your business you have to be online.
Having a brand website and having a social media presence are some of the bare minimums that you can look to achieve. The internet is a free and democratic domain. This means that you can maintain an online presence for a very affordable price point. Maintaining a Google My Business Page (again, free) can help drive important footfalls and sales to your business.
Conclusion
If a brand is not part of the online world, that brand is likely to go extinct in the next few years. From healthcare to education, from gadgets to food, almost everyone has made the transition to the digital world. Some of the biggest tech giants in the world are slowly trying to tap into the lowest segments of the population (small grocers, service providers, etc.) and helping them make the transition to digital marketing.
Let us hope you take the right decisions for your business.
Do let us know what you liked about the article in the comments section below.
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