In its simplest form, digital marketing is the process of promoting and selling products or services using digital technologies. It’s mainly on the internet, but it can also include mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium. It has become an essential part of the marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes, as it allows them to reach a wider audience at a lower cost. If you are new to digital marketing and are looking to learn the basics, this article is for you.
First, let's define the key components of digital marketing:
Search engine optimization (SEO): SEO is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords. The higher your website ranks, the more visible it will be to potential customers.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising: PPC is a type of advertising where you pay a fee every time someone clicks on your ad. The most common form of PPC is Google AdWords, which allows you to place ads on Google's search results pages.
Social media marketing: This involves promoting your business on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media marketing allows you to reach a larger audience and engage with potential customers in real-time.
Email marketing: Email marketing involves sending promotional emails to a list of subscribers. It is an effective way to nurture leads and build relationships with customers.
Content marketing: Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. The goal of content marketing is to drive profitable customer action.
Now that we have defined the key components of digital marketing, let's delve into each one in more detail.
SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine and When someone searches for a keyword related to your business, you want your website to appear as high as possible in the search results.
Whenever you search something in Google, there are usually pages upon pages of results that appear. Most people usually only care about the results on the first couple pages. One of the reasons these results appear on the first few pages is because they are optimized through SEO.
There are two types of SEO: on-page SEO and off-page SEO.
On-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual web pages in order to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. This includes things like title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags.
Off-page SEO refers to the actions taken outside of your own website to improve your ranking in search engines. This includes things like link building, which is the process of getting other websites to link back to your site.
There are many ways to get started with SEO but I would start by making sure your website is optimized through on-page SEO. Making sure you tag and describe the areas of your website could go a long way in helping to bring more traffic.
PPC is a type of advertising where you pay a fee every time someone clicks on your ad. The most common form of PPC is Google AdWords, which allows you to place ads on Google's search results pages. When someone searches for a keyword related to your business, your ad may appear at the top or bottom of the search results. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, hence the name pay-per-click.
PPC can be a highly effective way to drive traffic to your website, but it can also be expensive if not managed properly. It's important to carefully choose your keywords and constantly track and optimize your campaigns to ensure you are getting a good return on investment.
To get started in GoogleAdWords, make a free account and start to search for keywords in your industry. Their Keyword Planner tool allows you to monitor the most popular keywords in your industry. If you have a little money to spend, tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz provide a more advanced keyword search experience.
3. Social media marketing
Social media marketing involves promoting your business on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These platforms allow you to reach a larger audience and engage with potential customers in real-time.
A social media presence is a must in today’s digital age. A whopping 93% of marketers worldwide are using social media business. Each social media platform can be used very differently to engage with your customers. For example, many companies use their LinkedIn accounts to post thought leadership articles that are informative and thought provoking while they may use their Twitter accounts to make announcements or engage with a specific topic.
To get started with social media marketing, you need to create a social media profile for your business and start posting relevant content. This can include blog posts, articles, videos, and images. People usually use social media to build brand awareness and engage with their customers and is a relatively low investment if you’re just getting started.
4. Email marketing
Email marketing remains one of the strongest channels in digital marketing. Nearly 70% of marketers currently use some form of email marketing to communicate with their customers.
Email marketing in its simplest form is the use of email to promote products or services. Email marketing allows companies to stay in touch with their customers and keep them informed.
For anyone looking to start a marketing program, it’s important to find an email distribution platform. Platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Sendinblue and others allow you to craft your emails, send and track analytics. A good email program should engage your customers and keep you top of mind for them.
5. Content Marketing
Content marketing comes in many forms and is woven into the other marketing components. Your content strategy can make or break your overall marketing plan and is important for attracting the type of customers that you want. Your goal is to tell a compelling story about your product that will make potential customers want to buy. You do that through content marketing.
If you have ever written an email, a blog post, an ad, or social post, you have already started in content marketing. The key is to find out what your audience wants to hear and communicate with them in mind. The content you write is effectively your voice and brand so use content marketing to show your clients and potential customers who you are.
Once you understand these basic areas, you’re well on your way to becoming a proficient marketer. You’re already passionate about your business and now you just need the tools to help you get your brand out there.
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