Digital marketing has seen a rise in popularity in the past decade. More and more brands and businesses have been turning to digital channels to promote their products as well as their brands. It is true that different digital channels are used for different purposes and not all of them can be used for a single business. However, to help your business grow and reach out to more people, you should invest in digital marketing. Here are some reasons that will convince you why digital marketing is essential for growing a business.
- Your ability to reach a more targeted audience
Google and Facebook are well-known for their algorithms, which provide customers with the greatest and most personalised online experience. As a result, they give a platform for businesses to focus their digital marketing initiatives on the right people.
In allowing the consumer to dictate their interests, businesses can avoid disrupting the wrong audience with advertising that isn’t relevant to them, potentially damaging brand reputation as well as providing no return on your marketing investment!
- Meaningful customer engagement
Consumer behaviour is pretty easy to learn and understand, thanks to digital marketing. Because of the interactive nature of the internet, businesses may connect with individuals on a more personal level, breaking down formal barriers and inviting customers to create relationships with your company.
Using social media, blogs, and forums to offer a place where customers can communicate, allows them to voice their thoughts, comments, loves, and dislikes while also allowing businesses to react and answer.
- With digital marketing, small businesses can compete competitively with large businesses—and actually win
To be recognised, make sales, and expand, digital marketing does not necessitate an array of pricey technologies and large funds. Sure, some tools will be required, but a lot will depend on the owners’ knowledge and experience. Knowing your target demographic and product « in-depth » is frequently more important than using sophisticated techniques, especially with the help of digital marketing.
- Digital marketing is more affordable than traditional marketing
A radio, television, or billboard ad campaign is out of reach for many small businesses. However, many people can afford to use digital marketing tactics to connect and engage with their target audiences.
When compared to traditional marketing tactics, how cost-effective is digital marketing?
Take, for example, email and social media marketing. In 2015, an email simply requested you to contribute $1 in order to receive $38 in return. The average Cost Per Lead (CPL) for email marketing in 2018 was $53. That’s only second to online retargeting ($31). It’s a no-brainer when you compare it to events/tradeshows ($811) and TV/radio advertising ($611).
Moving forward, the free, organic search continues to outperform sponsored efforts in terms of web traffic. Take claiming and optimising a free Google My Business Profile, for example.
- Boost your local SEO search visibility
If you’re a local business, increase foot traffic, especially from smartphone users. Positive GMB reviews help businesses boost their internet reputation for free.
And, yeah, it’s free (at least for the time being) — all you need is an internet connection and a computer or smartphone. Facebook advertisements, on the other hand, are a slightly “riskier” market to play in because it’s easier to lose sight of how much you’re spending. However, you can begin with just $1 per day and work your way up.
- Your competition is already using digital marketing to spur ahead
Approximately half of the small business owners who answered to the previously stated study indicated that they planned to use internet marketing methods to win more business in 2019 and beyond – and many had already done so. The obvious inference is that the majority of your competitors are as well.
How can you tell what kind of digital marketing tactics they’re employing? Begin by looking at their website and social media accounts. Is there a blog on their site that is updated on a regular basis? Do they use Facebook to post updates or Instagram to share photos? You may also view what kind of advertisements (if any) your competitors are running on Facebook. Simply go to page info and look through their ad library.
Then, conduct a Google search for their brand name to check whether they’re referenced on other websites or if they’re linked to them.
The most important thing to remember here is to jot down everything you discover, from the number of social media followers to the keywords you discover they’re targeting.
All of that information will be beneficial in whatever digital marketing campaign you launch, including SEO, paid search, social media ads, content creation, and email outreach. There are a variety of competitive research templates and tools available, but for the most part, good old Excel sheets will suffice.
In Conclusion
So, what are you waiting for? 2022 is probably the last digital marketing train you can catch. Fortunately, there are thousands of tools accessible for any small business, either for free or at a low cost. All you need is a small portion of a standard advertising budget, some spare time, and a strong desire to learn to see some great results.
Today, with the type of competition becoming a hub for global players and start-ups, having a tailored approach to marketing and staying on top of the game is critical. Digital marketing is one such method that can help you raise brand awareness and generate leads by getting your product or service in front of the right people.
