Beginner’s Guide in Digital Marketing
In the age when the internet is used as the primary platform for communication and business, marketing practitioners have found a more effective way of reaching out to their audience. This strategy is known as digital marketing.
Digital marketing is the application of all market practices through the use of technology such as websites and apps. Various companies, such as Facebook and YouTube, revolve around this concept and have proven to be successful examples of digital marketing.
Now, this may seem like a complicated process that involves mastering multiple algorithms in order to succeed. And it’s true! But if you have the patience to learn the tricks of the trade, you may find yourself to be a veteran digital marketer.
1. Know what you want
No one should know your business better than you do. Where do you want to see it in 10 years? What is its mission and how do you plan to achieve it?
Though, it’s not enough to know what you want. You must also know how you want to communicate it so that you’ll get it. Here are 9 digital marketing strategies that you can use:
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Do you see the links that appear on Google results page after pressing the search button? That’s how SEO works. It makes a web page searchable. If your website is optimized, then you have a better chance of appearing on the first page of the search engine’s results page (SERP).
• Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC)
You can also see advertised links at the side of web pages or on the YouTube videos. Every time a user clicks the link and is redirected to the corresponding website, the owner has to pay for it.
• Public Relations (PR)
PR involves getting the word out to everyone using different forms of media. It invokes trust within the audience to promote what they are advertising. This can be found in journals, articles, or newspapers.
• Social Media Marketing
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. can be used in social media marketing to promote your business.
• Content Marketing
Make sure that your web content is informative, relevant, and optimized for SEO. You need content that can grab your visitor’s attention and will keep them coming back.
• Affiliate Marketing
Running a business can be tiring. Luckily, you can recruit people to run the business for you. Affiliate marketing lets you sit back as your business expands. Of course, it isn’t free. You’ll have to pay your associates their commission for a proper share.
• Viral Marketing
Remember that viral video of Mason Ramsey singing Hank William’s hit song, “Lovesick Blues” in a Walmart store? Well, it placed the original song at top 3 on Spotify’s Viral 50 charts. How about when the Doctor Who’s Matt Smith donned the iconic bowtie and prompted the doubled sales of bowties? This is the effect of viral marketing. Once something is noticed and shared by a large audience, the market becomes a success.
2. Know your audience
One advantage of digital marketing is being able to reach out to audiences with ease. However, you can’t address your content to all of them. You must know your niche and to whom it appeals.
For example, if you have a business involving house insurance, your target customers are newlyweds, couples planning to buy a house, and homeowners. Make sure that your content speaks to them directly.
3. Use apps and websites
As a digital marketer, you have the freedom to use whatever platform you want. As much as possible, advertise in as many platforms as you can rather than just relying on one site.
4. Know your competition
The marketing industry is one big battlefield littered with hundreds of competitors with the same goals as you. Understanding what makes you different from the others can give you an edge.
Digital marketing defines modern-day marketing. It has been proven to be an effective way of generating revenue.