Since its conception, marketing has been based around being to connect with the consumer not just at the right time, but in the right place. In the modern world, that place is increasingly online. Offline marketing no longer has the effect it once did, as consumers are spending more and more time online. For marketers, this means that digital is the way forward.
Digital marketing can be defined as any form of marketing that takes place on the internet, whether that is accessed via home computers, mobile phones or other devices. A variety of channels can be leveraged by digital marketers to connect with their current customer base and with potential new customers.
Razi Salih has experience working on several projects that have involved strategic digital marketing to promote the business in question. There are many different types of digital marketing that can be utilised to promote all kinds of products and services.
Search Engine Optimisation
One key area of digital marketing is Search Engine Optimisation, usually referred to as SEO. Marketers use SEO techniques to help raise their business, product or service higher in the results pages on search engines when people search for specific keywords.
There are three main ways to approach SEO: looking at the content featured on the web pages of the business, looking at the other web pages and sites that link back to the business, and focusing on the technical aspects such as optimising how the web pages are coded.
Search algorithms change as the way users search changes, so companies that want to stay at the top of the rankings need to be aware of SEO trends and focus on creating websites that offer the best possible user experience.
SEO is slightly different from search engine marketing, or SEM. The PDF attachment explores the key differences between the two techniques.
Social Media
Another major area of digital marketing today is via social media. Social media networks provide invaluable ways for business to truly connect with their customers and reach out to potential new customers. Social media also provides a platform whereby businesses can receive feedback from their customers, act on that feedback and show the world how they have reacted. This allows products and services to be improved in ways that reflect the changing desires of the consumer.
B2C marketers often see the most benefit from utilising social media as they can see exactly what their customer demographic is talking about and interested in at any time. Social media also provides opportunities for free marketing, such as when consumers like or share posts with others.
In the infographic attachment, you can see some of the top statistics for global social media usage.
Content
No matter how much search algorithms evolve or how the ways in which people use social media change, one constant factor in online marketing is that people will always prefer content that is fresh, original and engaging. A definition of content in the media can be viewed in the short video attachment.
Content marketing involves ensuring consumers can access quality content with the aim of generating leads or sales. Where and how this content is delivered may vary depending on the business type and the target audience. Whether content is delivered through social media, websites, blogs, email, YouTube or any other channel, as long as it is relevant, useful, engaging or entertaining, it will help to promote the business. Content marketing can also include visual media, such as the use of infographics to demonstrate statistics or facts.