What is Digital Marketing?
You hear a lot about digital marketing these days. But what does that mean?
Very simply, digital marketing means to market a product or service by digital means. OK, so that was a bit obvious.
More specifically, it means marketing a product or a service on the Internet.
The medium has changed and matured quite a bit since I first became involved with Digital Marketing back in the 90’s. Today, digital marketing includes, but is not limited to:
- Websites
- Email Marketing
- Blogging
- Social Media
- Paid Advertisements
Websites
Your primary Digital Marketing vehicle is your Website. This your home base. It is where you tell people about what you do or what you sell. The first websites I built were basically digital brochures. Though that is not a bad starting point, they can now be so much more.
Email Marketing
Email is still the best means to keep in touch with your customers or clients. If you have someone’s email address, then (hopefully) they have given you permission to keep in touch with them. And you should be taking advantage of that opportunity.
Blogging
A blog is where you gain trust. You do that through telling people who you are, talking about things that are of interest in your field, or to you. Just about anything that is either going to convey a message, to teach, or to tell a story.
Social Media
If you are going to engage with your audience, Social media is one of the most effective ways to do it. Social includes Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and more. For digital marketers, Social must be done right or it if can backfire. Using social channels purely for selling is a no no.
Paid Advertisements
Paid includes Google Adwords, Pay Per Click campaigns, Banner Ads, and more.
So where do you begin when promoting your product, brand or service?
A rule of thumb is that you are much better off doing a few things reasonably well, than doing a lot of things poorly.
Avinash Kaushik in his book Web Analytics 2.0: The Art of Online Accountability and Science of Customer Centricity uses the metaphor of a ladder when marketing online.
Start With A Website
And if you want it to be mobile friendly, SiteSpinner Pro is the way to go. It does not have to be spectacular. However, it should not look amateurish. Simple and clean with a clear message. And it must be SEO friendly – see the SiteSpinner WebTip on this.
Build An Email List
Once you have a website up, add a means to collect email addresses (see the WebTips on this here). Sending out a regular email once a month is a good start. Schedule it so that your customers (and you) get use to the schedule. The first or third Monday of each month is a good starting point.
Start Blogging
If you have the time and the interest, start writing. This can be integrated into your website and your email schedule. Remember, the majority of people who start blogging end up stopping. So if you don’t think you have an interest or the time, then skip this. It is better to have no blog at all, than one that you can watch the tumbleweeds blow through.
Get Social
If you have all the steps above in place, dip your toes into social media. The same rule applies though, if you don’t think you can do it well, then go small.
Create a Facebook Page for your company or service. You can then add Like buttons to your website. Get your email service provider to post your emails directly to your Facebook page, or to Twitter. Create YouTube videos of your product or service. If you have the time, resources and interest, you can be creative and have fun.
Pay For It
If you have nailed all of the above (and if you have, then you are doing well) then, and only then, start thinking of paid advertising. You have all these means by which you can grow an audience organically. Don’t waste money on Paid until you have the foundation above in place.
The Internet has taken away a certain amount of innocence. These days we can all spot a fake, and our radar is up for a scam or sale’s pitch as soon as we log on. But the flip side is that online marketers have to be more honest. If you want to get something from someone, then you have to be prepared to give first. And that only makes sense.
Your Turn
I would love to hear what you think.
