If you’ve ever wondered why digital marketing is important and why you should invest in it, then this is exactly what you need to read.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re starting a new business or own one already. Business success depends on having a sound marketing strategy. In this digital era, when smart devices are an extension of people’s arms, it becomes imperative to be present in the space your customers spend most of their time – digital media platforms. You need to take advantage of the Internet as one of the most valuable marketing resources and technology.
We’ve listed the reasons why digital marketing is important for achieving your business goals, and for its success.
1. Future trends
The rise in Internet usage
Traditional marketing is fast losing its relevance today. If you aren’t online, you simply do not exist. The Internet will continue to expand, and with it, so will its usage. It is the best platform to share information – and its visibility and reach surpass that of traditional marketing. Where else can your customers learn about your product, asses it, review its specifications, and gain other users’ opinions almost instantly? This is a prominent reason why digital marketing is important for narrating your brand story, engaging with your customers, and increasing sales.
Businesses value social media
A survey of 501 US-based digital marketers by The Manifest aimed to find out how companies invest in digital marketing and how this could change in the coming year. The study showed that 64% of businesses plan to spend more time and money on social media marketing next year. They also found that 99% of the businesses will increase their digital marketing spending by mid-2019.
Social media channels like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn go a long way in building a community of engaged users. It also helps you interact with your customers directly, and immediately. So, it pays to have a great social media presence. Here’s a little help with organizing your social media plan.
Businesses will invest in websites
After social media, businesses view websites as highly relevant for their digital marketing. The same study by The Manifest revealed that 55% of the businesses will be spending more on websites next year. After all, websites are important to engage with your audience, give them the answers they seek about your brand and turn website visitors into potential – then loyal customers. Find out how to design your website, to make it work effectively for you.
Email marketing is still important
Emails are possibly the most personalized form of interaction. They are also highly effective, once you understand your audience and send them tailored messages. Research has shown that while 15% of the businesses surveyed are expected to reduce their email marketing spend, a greater 43% plans to increase its investment in this. If you’d like to know more about this facet of digital marketing, you could read our article on how to personalize your email marketing.
Businesses will spend less on display/banner and paid search ads
According to The Manifest survey, businesses are expected to lower their investment in display/banner ads by 19% and paid search ads by 18%.
Increased outsourcing for digital marketing
Experts feel that a business can gain some essential external perspective when they outsource their digital marketing. The Manifest survey has also concluded that among businesses that have their own digital marketing unit or use software, nearly 32% have opted to outsource this function within the next year.
2. Mobile access
The smartphone has taken over an entire generation, and people will most likely use this, or another mobile device for news, social networking, shopping, etc. Digital marketing is important because it enables you to reach them while they’re doing this. You can remain visible – and accessible to your audience through emails, remarketing ads, social media and more, through the day.
3. Target audience
Digital marketing has this advantage over traditional marketing – it can segment your audience through the use of various digital tools. Thus, you can focus your marketing efforts on your target audience, thereby increasing its impact.
4. Practically unlimited reach
Earlier, geographic location made it very difficult to access audiences beyond a certain radius, or to fulfill sales for SMBs. The Internet changed that. Now, you don’t need to worry about reach because the Internet is spread across almost the whole world. Going viral on social media is an effective way to get your brand noticed by a vast number of people. Getting there will, of course, require continuous digital marketing efforts.
5. Customer engagement
Digital marketing is important for businesses because it allows you to engage with and interact directly with audiences at all times, through various platforms. This interaction is vital in letting your customers feel that their opinion matters, that you care about and respect what they have to say within your community. It also provides you with valuable feedback and information on customer preferences and reactions.
6. Measuring results
Digital marketing strategies can be monitored and measured effectively with the precise digital tools that exist today – in real time. They help you measure specific metrics, giving you an insight into how well your digital marketing strategy is working, and let you know what you need to change in your strategy, to get better results.
Digital marketing is key to business success. It is crucial that you adopt a digital marketing strategy in order to stay relevant in today’s digital world. A good strategy will always help you attract customers, convert, sell and analyze. If you haven’t already, then it is imperative that you start now. If you have any doubts about where to begin, you could read our article on digital marketing basics, to get you started.
At Them You & Me, we assist in the digital transformation of businesses. If you’d like help with your digital marketing strategy, get in touch.
To know about what we do and the services we offer, please visit our website.
