By now, it’s not really a question of whether companies should engage in digital marketing – rather, the question is where to start. Because the options are many and can be quite confusing for beginners. So in this article, we’ll share some of the most important digital marketing opportunities and explain what they can do.
But before we get into the individual methods, let’s first brush off the basics:
Introduction to digital marketing and its possibilities
Digital marketing is a branch of marketing that covers the marketing of products or services via the Internet and other digital media. These include search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, influencer marketing, social media marketing (SMM), and email marketing. The spread of the Internet and the increasing use of digital media have significantly expanded the potential for companies to market their products and services globally. However, it has also become more difficult to attract the attention of potential customers and persuade them to make a purchase. To succeed in this competitive environment, you need to carefully plan and continuously optimize your digital marketing strategies. An effective digital marketing strategy should pursue the following goals:
- Attract the attention of the target group
- Arouse interest in the products or services offered
- Build trust and a relationship with the customer
- Get the customer to perform a desired action (e.g., buy a product or use a service)
For an overview of the benefits of digital marketing, click here.
Why should you invest in digital marketing opportunities?
The future is digital. Of course, you can still advertise your business using offline methods like newspaper ads or flyers, but chances are that most potential customers can be found online. So if you’re not investing in digital marketing opportunities, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to drive your business forward.
There are many different digital marketing opportunities, but some of the most popular and effective are search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing (SMM) and content marketing. In the following, we have compiled a small overview of the most relevant options:
Online presence
It’s essential to have a strong online presence these days if you want to be successful. It doesn’t matter if you have a business or are self-employed – without a good website and an active social media profile, you’re unlikely to get any attention. But it is often difficult, especially for small companies or start-ups, to hold their own on the Internet. There are just too many others competing for customers’ attention. This makes it all the more important to consider which digital marketing measures are right for you. Because this is the only way to reach your target group and convince them of you and your offer.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization is the art of designing and writing your website so that it is better found by search engines like Google. If you rank on page 1 on Google, you have a good chance of having many people click on your page. Search engine optimization is a complex topic and there are many factors that determine how well your site will rank. So it’s worth looking into it and figuring out what you can do to improve your chances.
For example, one option would be to write a search engine friendly meta description. However, this can be difficult, especially for beginners. Fortunately, tools like neuroflash help you write the optimal meta description:
neuroflash is an AI text generator that lets you write based on your own specifications using artificial intelligence. Thus, you can create a wide range of texts in a short time and adapt them accordingly thanks to built-in SEO analysis.
You can register here and access the many free features of neuroflash.
Search engine advertising (SEA)
If you are looking for a suitable strategy, you should take a closer look at search engine advertising (also known as SEA). This is advertising that is displayed in the search results of Google & Co – right at the top! So the chances are good that people will see your ad when you place search engine ads. However, search engine advertising is not cheap and you need to familiarize yourself with the system first.
Social Media Marketing
In the meantime, there is hardly a company that does without the use of social media. The major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are now an integral part of many marketing strategies. But it is not always clear which goals are to be achieved with the social media presence. Is it merely a question of range? Or should sales also be generated directly? Therefore, before you invest in social media advertising, you should think carefully about the goal you want to pursue.
Email marketing
Email marketing is a form of direct marketing in which companies reach their target audience via email. Among other things, promotional e-mails are sent to encourage customers to buy a product or use a service. But it can also be used to stay in touch with existing and potential customers. Among its advantages is that it is relatively inexpensive and you can target your audience very specifically.
Content marketing
Content marketing is the maintenance and creation of interesting content. Various formats can be used to address the target group. For example, a blog post can be written, an infographic can be created, or a video can be produced. Content marketing is primarily aimed at informing potential customers and thus increasing awareness of the company. At the same time, however, trust should be built up between the customer and the brand.
Influencer Marketing
Influencers are a great way for businesses and brands to increase reach and build awareness. Influencers have a close network of followers who trust them and follow their recommendations. By sharing content with product recommendations, an influencer can make their followers aware of new products or services. However, working with influencers is not as easy as it may first seem. It’s important to research exactly which influencer is a good fit for you and whether they also have an engaged audience before you get involved.
Affiliate marketing
In affiliate marketing, companies pay advertisers (affiliates) to drive customers to their website. Affiliates earn money by clicking on banner-based ads or special links that they place on their website or in emails. Once a customer clicks on the link and buys something, the affiliate receives a commission. Unlike traditional offline advertising, you only pay for actual sales and there are no other advertising costs.
This video explains in more detail what affiliate marketing is all about:
How to launch a successful digital marketing campaign
Keep your goals in mind
Before you start a campaign, it’s extremely important to be clear about what your goals are. Want more website traffic? Or do you want to attract more customers to your business? Or maybe you just want more engagement on your website or social media pages. Once you know what you want to achieve, you can plan and target your campaign accordingly.
Set priorities
Once you’re clear on your goals, you need to decide what exactly you want to focus on. You can’t have everything and you have to prioritize. If traffic is your main goal, you should focus on that and adjust other aspects of your campaign accordingly.
Plan your schedule and budget carefully
Before you start with the implementation, you should think carefully about when the campaign should run and how much budget you have available. This will largely determine which strategies and measures are eligible and which are not.
Learn how to market your product with no budget at all in this article.
Frequently asked questions & answers
What is digital marketing?
Digital marketing refers to the marketing of products or services via digital channels.
Which digital channels can be used for marketing?
Examples of digital channels include search engines, social media, websites, blogs, and email.
What are the advantages of digital marketing over traditional marketing methods?
Digital marketing offers a number of benefits, including greater reach, lower costs, better targeting, and the ability to measure the impact of campaigns.
Useful tips
- Use social media to promote your business and attract new customers.
- Create a website and use search engine optimization (SEO) to drive more traffic to your website.
- Use email marketing to keep in regular contact with your customers and inform them about news and special offers.
- Use online advertising to draw more attention to your business.
- Tie into an influencer marketing program to benefit from the reach and engagement of other popular social media users.
Digital marketing is a versatile field and offers numerous opportunities to promote products or services. Whether it’s attracting new customers or strengthening relationships with existing ones, it can be a valuable asset with the right strategies and actions. However, it is important not to blindly rely on individual channels or tools when using digital marketing measures, but to combine the various options in a sensible way. This is the only way companies can really effectively benefit from the advantages of digital marketing opportunities.
