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Nearly 80% of people look up a product online before purchasing. That means having a strong online presence is no longer optional for businesses—it’s essential! But with so much happening in the online world, how do businesses stand out and actually connect with people? That’s where digital marketing steps in
So, what exactly is digital marketing? Simply put, it’s how businesses use the internet and digital tools—like social media, websites, emails, and search engines—to reach people and promote their products or services. It’s all about grabbing attention in the fast-paced digital world.
Now, when should you use digital marketing? In short: whenever you want your business to grow, reach new customers, or boost sales.
Let’s explore this idea in more detail.
What is Digital Marketing All About?
Digital marketing means using online platforms and technologies to get your message to the right audience. Think about the ads you see on social media, the articles that pop up when you search on Google, or the promotional emails in your inbox. These are all examples of digital marketing in action.
Today, digital marketing has become essential for businesses of all sizes. Here’s why:
Large Online Audience: Out of the 8 billion people worldwide, about 5.35 billion—roughly 66% of the total population—are connected to the internet. This means two-thirds of the world is online, making the digital space a powerful place for businesses to reach a massive audience.
Targeted Marketing: Think of digital marketing as throwing a dart at a target. Instead of showing your ad to everyone, you can show it to the people who are most likely to buy from you. For example, if you sell children’s toys, you can run ads that only show to parents, instead of wasting money on people who aren’t interested.
Affordable Options: Digital marketing can fit any budget. For example, a small bakery might run a $5 social media ad to show off their cupcakes to local customers or send out a free email newsletter to announce a special deal. It doesn’t take a huge amount of money to make an impact.
Types of Digital Marketing
There are many ways businesses use digital marketing. Here are some of the most common and affordable methods:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of improving your website to rank higher in search engine results. When someone types a query into Google or another search engine, SEO helps your business appear closer to the top of the search results. This increases the chance that potential customers will click on your website and explore your services or products.
For example, imagine you own a bakery. When someone in your area searches for “best cupcakes near me,” you want your bakery to be the first result they see. SEO achieves this by optimizing your website’s content, structure, and even behind-the-scenes coding to align with the keywords people are searching for.
Key SEO tactics include:
- Using relevant keywords throughout your website.
- Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly.
- Improving site speed for a smooth user experience.
- Creating high-quality content that answers people’s questions.
SEO is crucial because 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results. The higher your website ranks, the more visibility, traffic, and potential sales you’ll receive over time.
And while SEO takes time to show results, the long-term benefits are worth it.
Social Media Marketing
Social media has become a dominant force in our daily lives, with over 4.8 billion users worldwide. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X) allow businesses to engage directly with their audience and build relationships.
Social media marketing involves both organic posts and paid ads to increase brand awareness, drive sales, and foster customer loyalty.
For example, if you own a clothing store, you can post pictures of your latest collection on Instagram or TikTok, showcase how your clothes look when worn, and even share behind-the-scenes content of your design process. Social media is a powerful tool for storytelling, helping businesses connect with customers on a personal level.
Paid advertising on social media also delivers quick results. You can target ads based on age, location, interests, or behaviors, making sure your products reach the right people. For instance, if you sell eco-friendly products, you can show ads to people who follow sustainability-related pages or influencers.
By the end of 2024, social media ad spending is expected to reach US$235 billion. With a projected annual growth rate of 8.11% from 2024 to 2029, the social media advertising market will continue to boom, making it essential for businesses to be present in this space.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to nurture leads and maintain relationships with your customers. It involves sending targeted emails to people who have shown interest in your business, whether by signing up for your newsletter, downloading a resource, or making a previous purchase.
Through email marketing, you can keep your audience engaged with personalized messages. For example, if you own an online store, you can send out regular newsletters featuring new arrivals, exclusive deals, and personalized recommendations based on their previous purchases.
You can also send automated emails, such as birthday discounts or reminders about abandoned shopping carts, which help convert leads into customers. Email marketing is highly efficient. For every $1 spent, businesses can expect an average return of $42, making it one of the most profitable forms of digital marketing.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising is a fast and efficient way to drive traffic to your website. In a PPC model, businesses pay a fee each time their ad is clicked, which means you’re only paying for actual results. These ads appear at the top of search engine results pages, on social media platforms, or on other websites as banner ads.
For example, if you’re running a PPC ad for a local car rental company, you can bid on the keyword “car rentals near me.” When someone searches for that, your ad appears at the top, increasing the chances they’ll click through to your website.
PPC offers great flexibility, allowing businesses to set their budget, target specific demographics, and track results. With Google processing over 3.5 billion searches per day, PPC ensures you can quickly capture the attention of potential customers looking for what you offer.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is all about creating valuable, informative content that helps your audience rather than directly selling to them. The goal is to provide content that solves problems, answers questions, or entertains your target audience. By doing this, businesses build trust and authority in their field, which can lead to more sales in the long run.
Let’s say you own a fitness center. Instead of constantly promoting your gym membership, you could write blog posts about workout tips, healthy eating, or mental wellness. You might also create workout videos, infographics on proper exercise techniques, or downloadable fitness plans. By providing useful content, you become a go-to resource for fitness advice, and when someone’s ready to join a gym, they’re more likely to think of your business first.
Content marketing also helps with SEO. The more high-quality content you create, the more opportunities you have to rank for different keywords, which can increase your visibility online.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy where businesses partner with affiliates (other people or companies) who promote their products in exchange for a commission on sales. Affiliates use their own platforms, such as blogs, social media, or websites, to recommend a company’s products to their audience.
For instance, if you sell outdoor camping gear, you might partner with travel bloggers or YouTubers who specialize in outdoor adventures. They would promote your products to their audience, and whenever someone makes a purchase through their unique affiliate link, they earn a commission.
Affiliate marketing is a win-win for both businesses and affiliates. It expands a brand’s reach while allowing affiliates to monetize their content. It’s an especially popular strategy for online retailers and businesses looking to tap into influencers’ networks.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is similar to affiliate marketing but focuses more on collaborations with influencers who have a dedicated social media following. Influencers create content featuring a brand’s product, sharing their experiences and recommendations with their audience.
For example, if you run a skincare brand, you might partner with beauty influencers on Instagram or TikTok. They’ll showcase your products in their daily routines or post a review, which helps introduce your brand to their followers in an authentic way.
Influencer marketing has become extremely popular, especially as social media platforms continue to grow. It’s a highly effective way to reach niche markets and build brand credibility quickly.
When Do You Need Digital Marketing the Most?
Now that we know what digital marketing is, let’s talk about when you really need it. Here are some key moments when digital marketing can make a big difference:
When You’re Starting Your Business
When you’re just launching your business, it’s hard to get noticed. You don’t have any customers yet, and people aren’t aware of your brand. Digital marketing helps new businesses introduce themselves to potential customers. By using platforms like Google or social media, you can quickly create awareness.
For example, if you’ve just opened a small bakery, running ads on Instagram showing off your delicious cupcakes can grab the attention of local food lovers.
When Your Sales Are Dropping
If your sales have slowed down, digital marketing can give your business a boost. Launching a new online campaign—whether it’s through email, social media, or Google Ads—can remind customers that you’re still around and have something great to offer.
Let’s say you own a coffee shop and see fewer customers in the summer. You could run a “Summer Iced Coffee Special” campaign on social media to bring them back in.
When You Want to Reach More People
As your business grows, you might want to reach a wider audience. Through digital marketing, you can expand beyond your local area and even reach international customers. Social media ads are especially powerful for this, with ad spending projected to reach US$255.8 billion by 2028, largely driven by mobile users.
If you own a successful local clothing store and want to start selling online, using digital marketing is a smart way to spread the word to new customers far and wide.
When Your Competitors Are Beating You
If you’re losing customers to your competitors, digital marketing can help level the playing field. Maybe your competitor ranks higher on Google or has a bigger social media presence. By improving your own digital marketing efforts, you can regain attention and keep your business competitive.
For instance, if your rival bakery is getting more likes and shares on their Instagram posts, it’s a sign that you may need to boost your own social media strategy.
What Makes Digital Marketing Important for Businesses?
Here are some big reasons why businesses can’t afford to ignore digital marketing:
People Spend Time Online: By 2028, the number of users in the social media advertising market is expected to reach 6.05 billion. If you want to connect with your customers, being online is the best way.
Effective and Affordable: Digital marketing is cost-effective compared to traditional methods. Businesses using email marketing, for example, can get a return of $42 for every $1 spent. Similarly, PPC advertising only costs money when people actually engage with your ad.
Measurable Results: One of the biggest benefits of digital marketing is that you can track your success. With tools like Google Analytics, you can see how many people visited your site, how long they stayed, and even what they clicked on.
Pain Points Digital Marketing Solves
Digital marketing is a powerful solution for common business problems, including:
Reaching the Right Audience: It’s tough to attract customers if you’re not speaking to the right people. Digital marketing allows you to precisely target your audience based on their location, interests, and behaviors.
Costly Traditional Advertising: TV, radio, and print ads can be very expensive. Digital marketing, on the other hand, allows you to run campaigns on a much smaller budget, which is especially helpful for small businesses.
Low Engagement: If customers aren’t responding to your promotions, digital marketing tools like social media or email campaigns help you create more engaging content.
Uncertainty: With traditional marketing, it’s hard to know what’s working. Digital marketing lets you see real-time results, so you can adjust your strategy to be more effective.
Getting Started with Digital Marketing
New to digital marketing? No worries—it’s easier than you think! At Get Rank Digital, we know that every business has to start somewhere, and with the right steps, you can make an immediate impact online. Here’s a simple roadmap to help you get started:
Build a Strong Website
Think of your website as your digital storefront. It’s the first place customers visit to learn more about what you offer, so make sure it’s user-friendly, visually appealing, and packed with helpful information. Your website should answer key questions like: “What do you do?” and “How can customers contact you?”
For example, a clothing website should showcase beautiful photos of new arrival outfits, list prices, and provide an easy way for people to place orders online.
Establish Social Media Accounts
Your customers are spending time on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok—so that’s where you need to be! Social media is perfect for building relationships with your audience. Start by creating profiles on the platforms your customers use most, and post content that reflects your brand’s personality.
For instance, a local restaurant could post daily specials, mouth-watering photos, or even behind-the-scenes clips of the chefs at work. Engage with your followers through comments and messages to create a community around your brand.
Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)
Getting noticed online starts with SEO. This means using the right keywords, creating valuable content, and ensuring your website is easy to navigate. When someone types a search related to your business, you want to appear on the first page of Google. The better your SEO, the more visible your business becomes!
For example, if you run a home cleaning service, make sure your website appears when people search for “best home cleaners near me.” High-ranking websites get more traffic, which often means more customers.
Create Engaging Content
One of the most effective ways to grow your online presence is by sharing valuable content. Whether it’s a blog post, a video, or a helpful infographic, content is king. Great content provides value to your audience and helps you stand out from competitors.
For example, if you own a gym, you could write a blog post on “Easy Home Workouts for Busy People.” Not only will this help potential customers, but it also positions you as an expert in your field.
Run Targeted Paid Ads
Want quick results? Start small with paid ads on social media or Google. Paid advertising can drive targeted traffic to your website quickly. The beauty of paid ads is that you can control who sees them. Want to target parents who are interested in eco-friendly baby products? Paid ads make that possible.
Start by running a small ad campaign, then track the results to see what works best. Adjust as needed to maximize your return on investment (ROI). Even a small budget can go a long way with the right targeting.
What Next?
Supercharge your online presence with our expert digital marketing services. Our seasoned team knows exactly how to navigate the complex online world, ensuring your brand stands out. Whether you’re a local startup or a global enterprise, we provide the strategy, tools, and expertise to boost your online presence and drive real results.
Conclusion: What is Digital Marketing?
In a nutshell, it’s the key to getting your business noticed by the right people. Whether you’re just starting, trying to boost sales, or looking to outshine your competitors, digital marketing is a must. With tools like SEO, social media, and content marketing, you can reach millions of potential customers online.
The world of advertising is shifting, with mobile ad spending in social media markets expected to hit US$255.8 billion by 2028. Businesses that embrace digital marketing now will be in a prime position to succeed in the future.
If you’re ready to grow your business and reach more customers, there’s no better time to start than today! Contact us now and let’s turn clicks into purchases.
