From words and phrases like content marketing to social media marketing to pay-per-click and SEO, the brave new world of the Internet has given rise to entirely new approaches to advertising and marketing as well as unfamiliar jargon to describe those approaches.
Digital marketing is a kind of umbrella term for this new approach. It refers to any marketing that is done using electronic devices from laptops to smartphone and tablets to game consoles. Even advertising on digital billboards are considered a form of digital marketing. So while digital marketing includes marketing on the Internet, it also encompasses the use of other types of technology.
Digital marketing can be further divided into two different types, push and pull digital marketing. The former refers to marketing that is pushed onto the receiver such as banner ads on websites or emails. The latter refers to having the consumer seek out the information; for example, a customer might visit a blog or video on YouTube to learn more about a product.
One difficulty with discussions on digital marketing is that the channels and ways of delivering a company’s message are changing all the time. For social media digital marketing, as an example, it’s difficult to predict what will be the next Facebook.
While marketers can strategize an advertising plan based on existing technology and the most popular sites and ways of delivering information, the same plan is unlikely to be as viable a few years later. Therefore, it is crucial for companies to dedicate enough staff and resources to digital marketing; assigning the Twitter feed to an already-overcommitted employee to check in a few times per week is not sufficient.
A business needs a dedicated marketing team that stays on top of the latest developments and is flexible enough to shift strategies as needed.
Besides crafting compelling marketing plans that remain fresh and contemporary in terms of how people are currently using technology, the other major issue for businesses using digital marketing is measuring return on investment.
Good data is crucial to the success of a digital marketing campaign. However, digital marketers are becoming increasingly aware that the relationship between this type of marketing and consumer behavior is not always easily measured.
Customers engage differently with many forms of digital marketing in ways that may not lead to immediate sales but often produce more engaged, more loyal and longer-term customers who are unlikely to be easily lured by competitors.
As a Digital Marketer what strategies do you employ in pursuit of a successful campaign? Your comments are welcome.
About the Author
Steve Minks has over 25 years of IT & Digital expertise with a background in Property Development, Telecoms and as an accredited Health & Fitness professional. Outside of work, Steve enjoys writing on a range of subjects, functional exercise, visiting historical places and spending time with his family.
