We live in a digital world, there’s no debate about it. From smartphones and tablets to our laptops and desktop computers, we spend countless hours pouring through digital content day in and day out. According to a 2016 study from We Are Social, people in the United States spent on average 1.9 hours a day accessing the internet from a mobile device and 4.3 hours a day accessing the internet from a laptop or desktop computer.
As a business owner, this should be incredibly important to you. This is where digital marketing for business comes into play. So, what is digital marketing? Sit back, and we’ll explain.
Digital Marketing Explained
Digital Marketing can be thought of as a blanket term that’s commonly used to refer to your online marketing efforts, whether it’s a banner ad on a website or blog, your social media accounts or a newsletter you send via email. As we mentioned earlier, people are spending more and more time online, so it’s important for you as a business owner to put your message and brand in front of potential customers in an arena where they are already active — on the Internet. That’s essentially the goal of digital marketing.
Why Your Business Needs Digital Marketing
Building off of what we mentioned earlier, you know that your audience and potential customers are already spending more and more time online, so if your business does not have a digital marketing strategy, you are behind the ball, already. The benefits of digital marketing are plenty.
By using digital products to share your story, you can use products like Google Analytics to track data and help you determine which types of content and marketing materials are gaining the most traction for your business. This will allow you to make decisions and alter campaigns as the data drives you.
Digital marketing also allows you to create a more meaningful relationship with your audience and potential customers through online engagement with your social media channels, website and blogs or newsletters. One of the biggest keys is that no matter the size of your business, by utilizing a digital approach, you’ll be able to compete with the big guys.
Research shows that consumers are demanding more and more digital content, which is great news for businesses that have a digital marketing strategy in place. Just look at a few of these numbers on what types of content people are paying attention to and consuming “thoroughly”: Video (55%); Social Media Posts (52%); Long-form business content (32%); and blogs (29%). Here’s a great stat that may resonate with the importance of content marketing as part of your digital strategy: 73% of surveyed consumers found that content with a strong personality helps in forming loyal relationships, according to research by Econsultancy.
What You Need To Get Going
Now that we’ve dug a little deeper into the world of digital marketing, let’s take a look at some of the components that your business will need to be successful and should be utilized as a part of your overall digital strategy. Each of these offers opportunities to capture the attention of your audience and potential customer base while helping build brand recognition and tell your story.
- A website: This may seem like a no-brainer to most, but it’s extremely important that your business or brand has a website. This serves as one of your main focal points for distributing information about your products and services. The goal is to get as many eyeballs in front of your content and products as possible. Eyeballs = leads and conversions. In fact, statistics from Hubspot show that of the companies that are exceeding their revenue goals, 70% of them attract 10,000 visitors to their websites per month.
- Email Marketing: Much like radio advertising can complement your digital marketing efforts, email marketing compliments your other strategies by reaching potential customers and leads through their inboxes. Email marketing is great for keeping your business or brand top of mind and funneling people to a specific location, such as your website or product landing pages. According to Econsultancy, two-thirds of marketers state that email delivers an “excellent” or “good” ROI, with 8% of businesses achieving more than half of their sales email.
- Content: You’ve heard the saying “Content is King.” Well, it’s true. You want the content on your website and other mediums to be genuine, something your target audience can relate to, and informative. Remember, your content should mimic your brand’s values and overall mission.
- Social Media: In today’s day and age, a strong social media presence is a must, whether you are a small business of a Fortune 500 company. Statistics show the importance of social media as a marketing tool: 46% of web users look towards social media when making a purchase.
When To Be Cautious
So now that you’ve decided to jump on the digital marketing train, we know that you are excited. But don’t let that excitement cause you to lose sight of your ultimate goal. Just as you would vet any new hire or vendor, you should vet anyone who comes to you offering assistance with your digital advertising needs. Folks are out there trying to make a quick buck, so don’t be fooled. Are they established? How long have they been in the industry? What training and education have they received? These are all valuable questions you need to ask. If the person trying to sell you digital advertising cannot answer your questions, you should definitely look elsewhere. Since digital marketing trends are continually shifting, it's important that you work with true media professionals. Don’t let someone get your hopes up with results that sound too good to be true.
How Zimmer Can Help
With a wide range of services, we have the knowledge and experience to help your business walk down this somewhat complex, but incredibly rewarding, road known as digital marketing. We can help you build the perfect website to showcase your brand and online presence; we can help you craft a winning social media strategy and campaign that will build your following and grow engagement, or our creative team can help you design your print ads or create an awesome logo. Each of these components plays into your overall digital marketing goals, so why not rely on the professionals? Plus, we can use the power of radio to compliment your digital strategy and reach a much broader audience.
If you are ready to learn more about digital marketing for business, we’re here for you and can help you get the ball rolling toward digital success. With a sound strategy in place, you’ll be on the right foot to increasing your business's success. Contact us to set up an appointment or learn more about how we can help.
