Marketing is not a new phenomenon in the business world. In fact, it has been in existence since the inception of a business itself. The only thing that has changed is the way people do it.
Lately, digital marketing has gained popularity in an almost frenzy way. However, the definition of the term is a misdemeanor. Most of the definitions I have come across references to it as any form of online marketing. In reality, any form of marketing done over an electronic medium including TV and radio is, in fact, digital marketing though they are not ‘online’.
Definitions aside, not all digital marketing strategies have a future. In terms of the offline content, the TV and radio industry is slowly but surely losing their appeal because a great chunk of potential customers is found online. According to internet world stats, 49% of the global population has access to the internet and the number keeps growing. As you can see, the offline digital marketing age is coming to an end and the age of online business marketing is just blossoming.
Online advertising has gained popularity over the past two decades. Statistics show that over 80% of the global internet users use mobile phones to access online content. Any marketer in their right mind should be out there trying to get a piece of this pie if they are not already doing so but first, you need to be aware of what you are getting into as an online marketing business.
There are a number of marketing online ways. They are over a dozen ways to be specific but there are those major ones that every marketer should be aware of. These internet marketing ways are:
What Is Digital Marketing and Why It Matters?
Credits: SAS Software
Search Engine Optimization(SEO)
If there is a marketing concept that should be understood is SEO. Briefly, search engine optimization is the process of ensuring that your site appears favorably in a search engine. When say “favorably” I mean on the first page since over 64% of the clicks are usually in the first five listings. However, it is not that simple. Though this is one of the best in terms of digital marketing
examples, I have come across thousands of sites that have been ranked as the top three but in reality, there is no content. The SEO measures are done just for ranking and not for the benefit of the consumer. In internet marketing lingo, this is referred to as black hat SEO but don’t get it twisted, there are repercussions. You may get quick bucks, but by breaking the rules, you stand a risk of your site being banned. White Hat SEO focuses on both the SEO side and the content. At the end of the day, you and the consumer both get what you want. In terms of website marketing, you cannot afford to leave SEO out.
Search Engine Marketing(SEM)
Unlike SEO, SEM encompasses the practice of marketing online, but with a paid advert that appears on the search engine results page. It is also considered more effective than SEO. This is because they appear on top of the rest as an add that can either come in text form or something more visual like a banner of which work for the business. For the SEM to be effective, keywords are of utmost importance. What you need to understand as an online marketing business is that search engines operate in terms of keywords. Find the right keywords that relate to the product you are advertising and you will have the smooth sailing from then on. This is one of the digital marketing examples that marketers should not ignore.
Affiliate marketing
Another online marketing way is the affiliate marketing. This all boils down to an individual identifying a specific product or service, promoting it and earning some money in the form of commissions. These individuals could be bloggers who want to make extra cash or digital marketing businesses whose sole purpose is to promote brands. In most cases, all you need is the three parts of the puzzle: the merchant, the affiliate, and the consumer. However, there is the fourth component which is usually ignored but it is equally important, and that is the network. This is the middle person between the merchant and the affiliate that does the delivery whenever the consumer makes a purchase. Such networks include ClickBank. These networks make digital marketing business easier.
See More: 7 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins and Tools for Affiliate Marketers
Content marketing
This form of web marketing involves using storytelling to capture the interest of the consumer. By definition, it is the process of marketing that involves the creation of quality and informative content on a consistent basis in order to gain the customers loyalty. Detailed information on products is the one thing consumers are always on the lookout for and the internet marketing can offer, especially social media marketing. No matter your online business marketing strategy, without content it will be tough to convince the consumers.
See More: Steps to create a Successful Social Media Strategy
Big Data
Big data as the name explains is a huge amount of data that is collected to help in online business marketing. In the past, it was a tall order to come up with such amounts of data; but with technology, and data collecting bots like Google trends and analytics, it has become easy. Big data helps brands identify target consumers so that they can use digital tools such as social media marketing to develop content for the said target.
Check this quick video on 15 Digital Marketing Tips by iQuantumAustralia
Source: iQuantumAustralia
Conclusion
Web marketing still has a long way to go but the future looks bright. Fortunately, there is still space for businesses to join. However, to stay relevant in the business world online advertising is not an option, but rather, a requirement. The list of digital marketing ways does not cover all the available ways but they are the most popular and effective ones. It is the best way to get started on your website marketing journey. So, don’t wait, there is no better time than now.
Here are few more topics that you shouldn’t miss:
7 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins and Tools for Affiliate Marketers
Making Money with Mobile Marketing
Make Money from Affiliate Marketing
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Naman Modi
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