When it comes to operating in the modern business landscape, marketing online is vital. This kind of online advertising, which is also known as digital marketing, is the most effective way to let consumers know you exist. Being able to do that and to show them what you offer and why they should choose your business to spend money with is a key ingredient for business success. But why is online marketing the best way to go about it?
Target your marketing to where your customers are located
There are now over four billion internet users around the world. Of that total, it is thought that over three billion use social media regularly. When you also factor in the widespread use of smartphones to carry out common tasks like shopping online then it is obvious why your business needs to be out there and readily available.
Ways that businesses can market online
Digital marketing makes use of online channels like social media to market a business to its target audience. It is a wide-ranging sector that provides many ways to influence the consumers that you want to reach. Here are some of the major ways in which businesses are utilizing online marketing.
- E-mail marketing – this form of online marketing uses emails to communicate with new or existing customers. Although it is not new by any means, it still remains one of the most effective online ways to market your business. It is thought that for every $1 dollar invested into email marketing, businesses get a huge $44 back! That is due to the number of consumers who have email and can be effectively reached, along with email marketing not costing much in terms of resources.
- Social media marketing – we all know how big social media now is. The major players like Twitter have millions of users. This, and the fact that they are free to use, makes them one of the best online marketing tools for businesses to utilize. Posts can be scheduled in advance to save time and it can help you connect with customers on a personal level. It is also the main way in which people share information about a company or interact with it. This makes it essential for you to have a social media presence – not only to market to new customers globally but also to engage with existing ones.
- Paid search marketing – another common online marketing method that is utilized by many organizations is paid search marketing. It allows you to set up special online adverts for your business that are shown when someone searches for what you have to offer. These show up at the top of the search engine results so are superb for generating leads. As you only have to pay when someone clicks on your advert then they also give a good ROI.
- Video marketing – did you know that over 500 million hours of video are watched on YouTube each day? This shows just why video marketing has taken off in recent years. Consumers now like to see videos of the products they buy in action or reviews of them via online video sharing platforms. Businesses have responded to this demand by producing their own marketing videos to help reach more people in their targeted demographic.
- Content marketing – it is often said that content is king, and that is true for online marketing. After all, when someone does go to your blog or website then you need to have fresh, relevant content on there for them to read. That not only helps generate leads and establishes you as an authority in your sector but also pushes you higher up the search engine results page. Content marketing is perfect for the online age as the same content can be marketed across all the various channels for complete connectivity.
Valentino Vaschetto is a marketing expert that outlines many of the above points in his Guide to Marketing in the Digital Age by Valentino Vaschetto. As he notes, this is one area that all businesses can make great use of in the technological age.
Utilize online marketing in your business
To succeed in your sector an effective online marketing strategy is the key to success. It is an essential tool to keep pace with your competitors, and as the above shows, there are many ways of going about it that can help you connect with millions of new customers across the world.
