But, why are we telling you all this?

Digital innovations are changing consumer behavior. And consumer needs are driving digital innovation. Rising to the top are the ones that inspire a user to ask, “How did I live without this before?” Digital marketing has taken the marketing industry by storm. While print marketing still holds power within the industry, it’s the digital marketing trends that are proving to hold precedence.

So, what on earth is Digital Marketing?

According to Simon Heseltine, Senior Director, Organic Audience Development at AOL, “Digital marketing is any way that we, as marketers, use digital media to influence users. Whether that’s the free stuff – search, social, etc. – or the paid stuff – PPC, display advertising, social ads, in game advertising etc. across all available technologies and platforms. The real trick to effective digital marketing is using the right platform/technology/tactic to reach the audience that will buy your product/read your articles/engage with your content.”

Whilst Kevin Green, Executive Director, Marketing at Dell says, “Digital Marketing leverages electronic devices – PC, Tablet, Phone, digital OOH – to provide an experience that influences a desired audience to take an action. In my reality, Digital Marketing is the tip of the spear when engaging with a desired audience. It is not simply the channel of delivery, but the way in which an experience comes to life, across channels and in all channels. Digital is now the first touch point for the consumer and a channel where the consumer has greater control over what they see and when they see it. In a world where the intended target has limitless choices, it’s up to Digital Marketers to understand the customer journey, customer expectations and desired outcomes from a myriad of scenarios.”

When it comes to choosing the best tactic, it is important to evaluate your specific needs, but be sure to fully understand the differences and how you will maintain your efforts.

Jon Orton, Director, Marketing Operations at Uponor has a unique way of defining digital marketing. He says, “What truly defines successful digital marketing is an agile framework that integrates three basic elements:

• People – influencing behavior change internally while creating a compelling call-to-action or experience for the targeted audience.
• Processes – investing in continuous improvement/change management to evolve the marketing platform.
• Technology – disciplined approach to technology adoption.

Why is digital marketing so important?

1.  Cost Effective – Digital Marketing is more cost-effective than traditional marketing. This is especially important for small businesses as they don’t have many resources or a lot of capital. New media can provide you with a cheaper and more effective advertising channel.
2.    Concrete Content Marketing Is Key – Using digital content either sponsored or free allows you to connect with consumers much more effectively than billboards, direct mail or PR campaigns. The strength of your online presence now directly links to the success of your business.
3.   Cater To Mobile Consumer – Technology has evolved so much that mobile gadgets are no longer considered mere alternatives to personal computers or laptops. The largest group of consumers is using their mobile devices daily, so it’s essential that you use a marketing solution that targets these devices properly.
4.  Attain Higher ROI And Revenue – By increasing your digital outreach, you can increase your revenue. The more data that you can extract from your outreach campaigns, the better your predictions and subsequently ROI will be.
5. Track Your Customer’s Journey – Using analytics services like Google analytics, you will be able to monitor all your customer’s actions, preferences and get a better insight into their behavior. Analytics allow you to build the persona of your customer so that you can offer them the perfect experience.
6.  Increased Conversion- If you are marketing products and services online, you can easily measure your success by incoming traffic that gets converted into subscribers, leads or sales. This way you can calculate and improve your conversion rates.
7.  Encourage Social Media Engagement – If you want your company to grow, you can acquire new clients using various social media channels. Make sure always to target your customers based on their interests, age and country. This way, you will be able to better interact with them and encourage engagement through digital media.
8.  More Likes = More Gain – Some people underestimate the importance of social media as part of their digital marketing campaign. The more Facebook likes or tweets you get, the more your company can grow and build trust and credibility with customers. It can also bring traffic to your website if you use these channels to inform your followers about discounts, new products, blog posts and company news, etc.
9. Get Ahead Of Competition – Most business have already given up traditional advertising methods and focus instead on Google Adwords, SEO or Social Media. With so many competitors out there it is very difficult to market your small business and get ahead of the pack. But, you can use Google Alerts to get a better idea of where your competitors stand. You can monitor their marketing strategies or products so you can learn things that could improve your own business.
10. Earn People’s Trust – Digital marketing grows from social proof, social media signals and real testimonials from clients who have previously used, joined, purchased or availed a service or product marketed by your business. Most clients would trust a service or a product when people they know give positive feedback or information about a particular brand. So good recommendation by an individual with a strong following on Facebook or Twitter could make or break your business.

Finally…

It is crucial to understand the importance of implementing digital marketing in your business strategy. The use of new media in the 21^st century is not just a wise investment decision – it’s essential; it’s one of the most efficient marketing channels with many benefits that can help grow and expand your business.

The post What really is Digital Marketing? How Important is it? appeared first on Digital Leadership Institute.