What is Digital Marketing?
What is Digital Marketing?
For those of us living and breathing the digital marketing world, we’ve known for a long time how effective digital marketing can be. You will get results that you just can’t get any more from traditional marketing tactics.
Digital marketing is just marketing…
But if you’ve never used digital marketing, it can seem like you are taking a massive step into unknown territory. There are lots of confusing new tactics, people keep talking in acronyms, and funnels seem very important.
You should know upfront. You are taking a massive step in the direction of business success.
Print ads, radio spots, and direct mail may sound sexy, but with today’s connected consumer, these tactics don’t make much of an impact on traffic numbers, sales volume, or order values.
That’s why successful businesses rely on digital marketing.
So I’m here to tell you what digital marketing is, how it’s done, and how you can benefit from these tactics that have been proven to raise sales and boost profits.
Digital Marketing Defined
Let’s start with the basics…
Let’s start with the basics…
What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing is the act of promoting and selling products and services by leveraging online marketing tactics such as social media marketing, search marketing, and email marketing.
That’s the formal definition.
But honestly, digital marketing is just marketing.
And rule #1 in marketing is to make the right offer at the right time in the right place. You need to connect with your customer where they are.
It’s no surprise that today’s consumers are online: hanging out in social media, staying updated on news sites and blogs, and searching online when they have a need.
That’s why, for better marketing results, you need to be online too—getting people’s attention, building interest in your products and services, and driving sales with digital marketing.
And it works so well, marketers don’t think of it as an alternative to “traditional” marketing. They’re just excited about the results they’re able to generate.
How Digital Marketing Works
Digital marketing works by creating touchpoints, or points of interaction, in a variety of digital channels—like Facebook, search engines, email, and YouTube—to build a relationship with prospects.
Digital marketing works by creating touchpoints, or points of interaction, in a variety of digital channels—like Facebook, search engines, email, and YouTube—to build a relationship with prospects.
(RELATED: Your Digital Marketing Strategy Template (AKA The Customer Value Journey))
All of these touches build familiarity and trust, so when people are finally ready to buy, they look to you first.
But there’s more to it than that.
Digital marketing isn’t only about “being there” when your customers are ready to buy. It’s about creating the desire to buy and persuading them to buy sooner (and possibly more often).
It’s also about being more than a merchant. Through digital marketing, you can actually become a guide and a trusted friend—so when you make a recommendation, people are eager to listen (and buy).
What does this look like?
Let’s look at a couple of examples.
Say you decide you need a new juicer. Typically, when you start thinking about buying something, you don’t run to the store and buy the first product you see. You do some research first.
You begin by searching the Internet to learn what your options are.
Initially, you’re looking for the best brands and the best prices. And once you have an idea of what your options are, you look for reviews, ask friends and family for their opinions, compare features, and evaluate case studies.
That’s one scenario. Another could be kicked off with an email.
Let’s say you’ve signed up to receive emails from a blog that talks about natural health. One day, they send you an email that links to an article with juicing recipes. You click through, read the article, and realize your juicer won’t handle the leafy greens they recommend.
Conveniently, in the article, there are links to juicers that can do the job…
…and you’re intrigued. But you’re not ready to buy yet. You still want to do research before buying.
Just as you did in the first scenario, you start searching on the Internet…
…Comparing prices…
…Reading reviews…
…And looking for expert opinions…
Only when you feel you’ve got enough information will you buy—and usually from the brand that gave you the best information.
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