The article briefly explains what digital marketing is, how it evolved and why it is important to have an online presence. Does it also tell what are the various techniques for digital presence solutions and the benefits of adopting them? The article is helpful for beginners and startups to learn about this latest way of marketing and to understand its need and importance.
Let’s Begin With What Digital Marketing Is?
What is the basic meaning of digital marketing? Primarily, digital marketing is another word for online marketing. It is a term used for all advertising and marketing activities carried out through online media channels. It encompasses websites, social media channels, business blogs, online business registries, e-mail marketing, reviews, and testimonials, etc. The aim of these digital presence solutions is to assist businesses to help get found, noticed by consumers, get leads, and transform those leads into loyal customers.
A Brief History of Digital Marketing:
Marketing has changed over the years. It has taken us out of the print and electronic ads and brought us to the age of SEO, Google, and social media. This digital age has bestowed us with 24/7 connectivity which has made it compulsory for businesses to connect and respond to customers’ needs on a constant basis; otherwise, they will soon get lost in the crowd of competitors. They need to make themselves present at places where their target audience is- and the target audience is ‘online.’
The Influx of the Web 2.0:
Digital marketing and advertising showed up during the 1990s as the use of smartphone devices and the internet became easier. Along came Yahoo!, Google, banner ads which lead to digital growth and the advent of Web 2.0.
Web 2.0 basically refers to the 2nd generation of the World Wide Web. The static HTML pages turned into a more intelligent and interactive web experience. It focuses on the ability of websites to provide a more interactive experience to people where they can share data online and collaborate through web-based communities, blogs, and social media channels.
Web 2.0 flagged a change in which the internet turned into an interactive experience between Web publishers and visitors, instead of the one-way communication that previously existed. It turned passive internet users into active participants.
Also Check – Web 2.0 websites list
Importance of Digital Marketing:
The reason why digital marketing has to turn out to be essential for businesses —regardless of which kind of business you own—is that today’s consumers are connected with the web almost every minute of the day due to the extensive use of cell phones and other smart devices. These are most likely the first thing majority of people use as soon as they wake up and the last thing they use before sleeping.
Benefits of Digital Presence Solutions:
- Wider Target Audience:
Placing yourself on the web enables you to connect to a bigger crowd. A great many online users can now reach you. Obviously, this is not possible overnight, but the chances are significantly higher than when communicating offline. This single factor alone is valid enough to establish an online presence for the business.
- Easier Accessibility:
It is valuable for your prospective customers to know how and when they can contact you easily. The easier it is for clients to reach and contact your business, the more they are likely to make a purchase with you. Placing contact information online can help a lot more people reach you. Very few individuals utilize the telephone directory now. If they fail to get your contact information, it can frustrate them and make them leave the site and go for alternatives. Making an online presence can easily resolve this issue. Make sure to place the correct information and update as soon as a change is made.
- Develops Brand and Trust:
Owning a commanding presence in the digital world develops trust and confidence in consumers, and they feel more comfortable while dealing with your brand. If you own a top position in SERP (search engine result pages), it makes you more reliable in the eyes of the people, and they consider you as an authority in your respected niche. A prospective customer might do an instant online search about your business before making a purchase, and if they fail to find anything about you, they might take you as unprofessional and less trustworthy.
- Cost-Effective:
Most of the different digital marketing techniques are free, like registering with business directories, setting up accounts with social media channels, writing blogs, etc. They cost nothing but add value to your brand. Thus, you can advertise in a professional and organic manner.
Top 4 Digital Presence Solutions By Dominant Digital Marketing Agency:
The key ways to make an effective digital presence proposed by a well-known digital media marketing agency in Chicago are as follow:
Establish a Website:
A well-established website is the backbone of a digital presence. Your website is the first place customers go to if they want to know anything about your business. So, every page, from ‘About Us’ to ‘contact Us,’ needs to be refined and optimized. A responsive design, consistent branding, easier page navigation, helpful information, and mobile-friendliness are important for a great client experience. With these characteristics, you can have a major impact on online clients.
Social Media Channels:
Social media marketing is essentially valuable as they refine your image and create awareness. Every post you make on social media presents the purpose and identity of your brand. It also provides you with the opportunity to connect to followers. It also helps you give personalized service to customers and builds your brand when you go ‘viral’ or ‘trending.’
- SEO and Paid Promotion:
Search engine optimization is a cost-free way to rank higher on SERP. When people search for something through web engines, the way you appear as a result is important. Those who rank higher have the chance to get the most clicks, trust, leads, and sales. The more optimized your content and website are, the better you will get ranked. This is a cost-free method of making an online presence. With paid advertising, you can also get in front of the target customers, but you pay for that. Display ads, social ads, and PPC (pay-per-click) are some examples.
- Content Generation:
High-quality content helps elevate rank for keyword searches and helps enhance engagement, leads, sales, and business growth. Case studies, e-books, blog posts, white papers, articles, and blog posts are all examples of content marketing.
