Digital marketing is the new norm in today’s internet-focused world. This isn’t to say that other marketing tactics, such as word of mouth or print, are obsolete. Rather, digital marketing should be at the forefront of what you spend your advertising dollars on. This type of marketing can be a more cost-efficient way to reach your target users.
Every company will have a different digital marketing strategy. However, some practices are consistent regardless of industry or category. These practices include the creation of consistent, compelling content and distribution of that content. Depending on whom you are trying to reach, you may decide to push this content out through social media, newsletters, and/or blogs.
If you’re in the midst of creating or optimizing your digital marketing strategy, you’re in the right place. This article will dive into three benefits of good digital marketing practices. Knowing these benefits will help propel you and your business forward. Ultimately, effective use of digital marketing will bring more users to your brand and convert more individuals into customers.
1. Expanded Reach Through SEO
First off, with a digital marketing strategy, you can reach millions of people through the same campaign. Other types of marketing, such as out-of-home advertising, only reach individuals in specific places and moments. Out-of-home advertising is just what it sounds like — advertising seen outside the home, such as billboards, subway posters, and wallscapes. These flashy ads can be engaging, but they reach only a very limited part of your target audience.
Through a digital marketing campaign, your efforts can be broadcast to an exponentially larger population. Moreover, your messaging and your brand presence will reach more people if you use tactics such as search engine optimization. SEO enables you to tap into an engaged audience, one that is interested in your offerings.
As an example, let’s say you are an estate planning law firm looking to gain clients. With a specific law firm SEO strategy, you can lean on creating content that is pertinent to your core audience. This content should have a narrow focus around keywords like “how to avoid probate” and “what is a living trust?” These long-tail keywords are what likely prospects might search for in Google before ending up on your site.
The best keyword strategy attracts consumers looking to make a purchase as well as those starting their research. That means your content should go from general to more detailed, according to the stages of the buyer journey. Regardless, SEO is a way to attract more consumers at every stage, spreading your messaging to a potentially global audience.
2. Measurable, Timely Data
Another significant benefit of digital marketing is that you are able to obtain measurable, timely data. Everything from time on site to bounce rates can help you track current campaigns and optimize them for future success. In today’s world, most marketing decisions are based on data. It’s how companies can ensure their marketing strategies are paying off and providing them with a great return on investment.
Of course, it’s one thing to collect all this data, and it’s another thing to know how to read and interpret it. Collecting data for the sake of it isn’t useful for anyone. In order not to get overwhelmed, consider collecting data just around your key performance indicators. These KPIs may include organic traffic and conversion rates. The latter can show you how many unique visitors actually complete a purchase or another desired action, such as a newsletter signup.
Data can also help you better understand your target audience. You can track the types of visitors on your site, eventually identifying a common consumer base. For example, let’s say you notice that most of your site visitors are parents. You may decide to focus your marketing efforts on consumers who are likely strapped for time and want to simplify their life. With this data at your fingertips, you can make smarter predictions when it comes to your audience and their particular needs.
3. Multiple Content Types Across Platforms
Lastly, digital marketing allows you to generate a wide variety of content and distribute it across various platforms. Based on their own preferences, consumers like to interact and engage with content in different ways. Younger generations have a preference for vibrant, image-based platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Older generations, alternatively, gravitate toward Facebook.
As a marketer, you can create content and repurpose it for different platforms. A blog post on your site, for instance, can be translated into an infographic for a social media post. Or a podcast interview can be translated into a short Q&A feature for an e-newsletter. Repurposing your content is a way to get the most bang for your buck, saving you time and money.
This is not to say that you should spread yourself too thin. When creating content, it’s important to keep your core consumer top of mind. What types of content are most appealing to your audience, and how can you deliver them in an exciting way? Just because another brand is starting a YouTube channel doesn’t mean that it’s the best fit for your audience.
Takeaways
Digital marketing has taken the business world by storm. Long gone are the days when you only found out about a brand through print, radio, or TV ads. Now every consumer is empowered to conduct their own research and make their own purchase decisions. Digital marketing can help you expand your reach, generate measurable data, and repurpose informative content. These are benefits that traditional forms of marketing lack — and reasons you should jump on the digital marketing bandwagon.
