What is Digital Marketing in 2020?
What is Digital Marketing, and is it becoming more important than Traditional Marketing in 2020?
- Content Marketing
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- E-mail Marketing
- Blogging
- Vlogging
- Social Media Marketing
Digital marketing can be a scary world for many people, as they may not understand what it entails. Some people think of all the complicated and overwhelmingly analytical and daunting computer-related lingo and may feel a bit out of their depth; hence they switch off and refuse to engage with the benefits and capabilities of this ever-growing communications methodology.
In a nutshell, Digital marketing is the ability to communicate and engage with your customer or consumer digitally on a variety of innovative platforms. Given the reliance on technology in today’s world, it is easily accessible for most consumers and allows brands to engage with their users in faster and more direct ways than traditional media like TV, Magazine, Newspapers and Billboards.
Below is a topline summary of the different forms of Digital Media that exist, and we will delve further into each media type within the next few weeks.
- Content Marketing
The key for any form of marketing, be it traditional or digital is the content of the information. Consumers are becoming very savvy and are often unimpressed with a “hard sell” methodology. With consumers being able to skip past adverts, it is crucial that the content that we choose to use is engaging and adds value. With the short attention span that exists in our time-poor lives, as brand owners, we need to ensure that we make our customers feel that we are going to add value and improve their experiences with our offering to them.
If we have the correct content, we can then develop an advert to be displayed on the internet, which will be of interest to our potential customer who will then click into the advert for more information. Clicking into the advert usually directs them to a website with more details on the offering. Still, should the information be incorrect or not in line with what they expected, they will leave your site quickly, usually feeling somewhat disappointed.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Search engine optimisation is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to web search engines.
SEO refers to the improvement of unpaid results and excludes direct traffic/visitors and the purchase of paid placement. It is, therefore, vital to ensure that one’s website is regularly updated and maintained and that there are blogs post present. The blog post should present thought leadership articles or links are also present on the site. The search engine “bots” then recognise that you are adding value to the community, and your website will get a higher ranking in the search engine results.
Often referred to as “organic search ranking” this is something that you have not paid for, unlike Google Ad words. Still, everyone knows that if your site does not appear on page 1 of Google (or even the top 3 positions), then you are in essence seen as “invisible” to the potential customer. Think about it! How often have you gone to the second page on Google? Most people just change their search descriptor and keep looking for what they want until they find something of interest.
- E-mail Marketing
E-mail marketing is probably one of the first forms of Digital Marketing and referred to as owned traffic. E-mail marketing is the ability to send messages/newsletters/specials to your database of customers which will be received by them in their inbox. The beauty of this form of marketing is that it is relatively cheap and is targeted at the consumer directly. The challenges are that unless it has a catchy heading, it may be viewed as spam and not opened by the customer.
Another challenge is getting a database which you can target. Data is king, and many people are becoming hesitant to give out valuable data like their e-mail addresses to prevent being spammed with useless messages. The key here is to form a database of loyal clients and send them information of value that they will enjoy regularly receiving, without them feeling harassed and unsubscribing to your mailers.
As mentioned before; data is critical, so look after it. A well maintained, updated database can bring you many loyal fans whom you can turn into returning customers.
- Blogging
An example of a blog is exactly what you are reading at present. It is a small piece of information of approximately 2000 words placed on a website page. Its purpose is to give your website visitors information about a set topic which is usually related to the services offered on your site.
The vital part about Blogs, besides adding value to potential customers is that it allows for your organic ranking in Google to increase. Google “reads” that you are adding value to consumers through the information you are putting on your website, so it rewards you by placing you closer to the first page of Google when people are searching for information. Let’s be honest. How often do you ever go to page 2 on Google?
- Vlogging
Vlogging is blogging in a video format. So, still giving information to visitors to the website, but it will be in a video format like an explainer video or some creative and original video format to get the key message across. It is also viewed positively by the Googlebot and hence will also serve to improve your Google ranking organically.
- Social Media Marketing
The craziness of social media has taken the whole world by storm. What was initially perceived to be a way for people to connect with friends across the globe, soon became a way for savvy brands to communicate with potential buyers in a straightforward and targeted fashion.
Social Media Marketing has now become a non-negotiable in marketers branding budgets as it is a fast and effective way to portray a message and get a response from potential customers.
Social media has many effective platforms in which to engage with customers:
- Facebook.
If you have never heard of Facebook, then you must have been living on the moon for the last decade. Beyond being the most popular way for people to connect around the globe. Facebook has become an excellent platform for advertisers. With 2.26 billion people on Facebook every day, it allows you to target your message to a specific demographic in a particular location and if done correctly can have profound effects on brands at a relatively low cost. - Instagram.
Instagram is Facebook’s visual sister. Instagram is the platform most people use to share exciting imagery and visuals. Many people are known to share pics of food, travel and its an excellent platform for lifestyle brands to advertise and engage on. - Twitter.
Twitter is the platform used for “breaking news” or topics of social interest that are trending. Each person has an account referred to as a Twitter handle, and they can send out information which cannot exceed 140 characters. On Twitter, adding a “#” to the beginning of an unbroken word or phrase creates a hashtag. When you use a hashtag in a Tweet, it becomes linked to all of the other Tweets that include the same hashtag. Including a hashtag gives a Tweet context and can provide the conversation with longevity. One can follow other people on Twitter and then you can follow discussions and conversations and feedback that is given on the subject. - LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is one of the few social media platforms that is designed for professionals to engage with other professionals. Users create a profile outlining their career and business interests and can then engage with other professionals within the same community or interest group. LinkedIn is often an excellent platform for job seekers wanting to network with key companies in their specified area of interest, and this is also a unique platform for brands to advertise their products to at a targeted company or person in a specific position within the company. - Snapchat.
Snapchat is a messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (called snaps) that are meant to disappear after they’re viewed. It’s advertised as a “new type of camera” because the essential function is to take a picture or video, add filters, lenses or other effects and share them with friends. - Messengers.
With so many people being attached to their phone day and night, it makes sense to use a communications platform that people are already using many times a day. Examples of this are the top-rated App called WhatsApp. Groups can be created with family, friends or a special interest group and 2-way communication can occur. One can also make telephone calls on this platform and data is used for allowing these messages and calls to take place.
Another popular Messenger app is Facebook Messenger. Facebook Messenger allows Facebook friends who may not have your details to send you a direct message in private, and then you can respond as if it was an SMS. - Pinterest.
Pinterest is a platform that most people use to generate ideas on how to do anything of interest to them. From learning how to bake a birthday cake in the shape of a minion to learning how to build a bathroom, Pinterest will have you covered. It allows you to create an interest board and “pin” the items that interest you so that you can refer back to it at a later stage. Having a brand presence on Pinterest is an innovative way for brands to engage with potential consumers as it is not a crowded platform in comparison to Facebook advertising. - YouTube
YouTube is a platform that allows anyone to post videos which can then be shared within the platform. It made Justin Bieber famous at the tender age of 13 when his now manager saw him doing covers of songs, and the rest, as they say, is history! One can see how many times a video has been watched.
Another example of YouTube making people famous is Ryan’s World (formerly Ryan Toys Review). This is a children’s YouTube channel featuring Ryan Kaji, who is eight years old, along with his mother (Loann Kaji), father (Shion Kaji), and twin sisters (Emma and Kate). The channel is one of the Top 100 most-subscribed YouTube channels in the United States. Ryan is an avid toy reviewer who made $22 million in 2018 from his channel. Toymakers are flocking to allow him to test and comment on their products as they know being on his platform could mean the overnight success (or demise) of their product. Many brands are also using YouTube to show their adverts on which is cheaper than TV and still allows for great exposure. - TikTok.
TikTok is a social media platform that focuses on short-form mobile video. It is used to create short lip-sync, comedy, and talent videos. Although brands can advertise on this platform, the viewer can scroll past the videos without having to watch any of the content, so this may not be the best platform for brands.
- Facebook.
Hopefully, this has given you a bird’s eye view of the busy and exciting world of digital marketing. Remember, whichever platform you use, content is king. If you can be authentic and sincere with your communications, you can only grow in your followers, customers and ultimately your business.
Cheers for now,
Tracey
What is Digital Marketing, and is it becoming more important than Traditional Marketing in 2020?
- Content Marketing
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- E-mail Marketing
- Blogging
- Vlogging
- Social Media Marketing
Digital marketing can be a scary world for many people, as they may not understand what it entails. Some people think of all the complicated and overwhelmingly analytical and daunting computer-related lingo and may feel a bit out of their depth; hence they switch off and refuse to engage with the benefits and capabilities of this ever-growing communications methodology.
In a nutshell, Digital marketing is the ability to communicate and engage with your customer or consumer digitally on a variety of innovative platforms. Given the reliance on technology in today’s world, it is easily accessible for most consumers and allows brands to engage with their users in faster and more direct ways than traditional media like TV, Magazine, Newspapers and Billboards.
Below is a topline summary of the different forms of Digital Media that exist, and we will delve further into each media type within the next few weeks.
- Content Marketing
The key for any form of marketing, be it traditional or digital is the content of the information. Consumers are becoming very savvy and are often unimpressed with a “hard sell” methodology. With consumers being able to skip past adverts, it is crucial that the content that we choose to use is engaging and adds value. With the short attention span that exists in our time-poor lives, as brand owners, we need to ensure that we make our customers feel that we are going to add value and improve their experiences with our offering to them.
If we have the correct content, we can then develop an advert to be displayed on the internet, which will be of interest to our potential customer who will then click into the advert for more information. Clicking into the advert usually directs them to a website with more details on the offering. Still, should the information be incorrect or not in line with what they expected, they will leave your site quickly, usually feeling somewhat disappointed.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Search engine optimisation is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to web search engines.
SEO refers to the improvement of unpaid results and excludes direct traffic/visitors and the purchase of paid placement. It is, therefore, vital to ensure that one’s website is regularly updated and maintained and that there are blogs post present. The blog post should present thought leadership articles or links are also present on the site. The search engine “bots” then recognise that you are adding value to the community, and your website will get a higher ranking in the search engine results.
Often referred to as “organic search ranking” this is something that you have not paid for, unlike Google Ad words. Still, everyone knows that if your site does not appear on page 1 of Google (or even the top 3 positions), then you are in essence seen as “invisible” to the potential customer. Think about it! How often have you gone to the second page on Google? Most people just change their search descriptor and keep looking for what they want until they find something of interest.
- E-mail Marketing
E-mail marketing is probably one of the first forms of Digital Marketing and referred to as owned traffic. E-mail marketing is the ability to send messages/newsletters/specials to your database of customers which will be received by them in their inbox. The beauty of this form of marketing is that it is relatively cheap and is targeted at the consumer directly. The challenges are that unless it has a catchy heading, it may be viewed as spam and not opened by the customer.
Another challenge is getting a database which you can target. Data is king, and many people are becoming hesitant to give out valuable data like their e-mail addresses to prevent being spammed with useless messages. The key here is to form a database of loyal clients and send them information of value that they will enjoy regularly receiving, without them feeling harassed and unsubscribing to your mailers.
As mentioned before; data is critical, so look after it. A well maintained, updated database can bring you many loyal fans whom you can turn into returning customers.
- Blogging
An example of a blog is exactly what you are reading at present. It is a small piece of information of approximately 2000 words placed on a website page. Its purpose is to give your website visitors information about a set topic which is usually related to the services offered on your site.
The vital part about Blogs, besides adding value to potential customers is that it allows for your organic ranking in Google to increase. Google “reads” that you are adding value to consumers through the information you are putting on your website, so it rewards you by placing you closer to the first page of Google when people are searching for information. Let’s be honest. How often do you ever go to page 2 on Google?
- Vlogging
Vlogging is blogging in a video format. So, still giving information to visitors to the website, but it will be in a video format like an explainer video or some creative and original video format to get the key message across. It is also viewed positively by the Googlebot and hence will also serve to improve your Google ranking organically.
- Social Media Marketing
The craziness of social media has taken the whole world by storm. What was initially perceived to be a way for people to connect with friends across the globe, soon became a way for savvy brands to communicate with potential buyers in a straightforward and targeted fashion.
Social Media Marketing has now become a non-negotiable in marketers branding budgets as it is a fast and effective way to portray a message and get a response from potential customers.
Social media has many effective platforms in which to engage with customers:
- Facebook.
If you have never heard of Facebook, then you must have been living on the moon for the last decade. Beyond being the most popular way for people to connect around the globe. Facebook has become an excellent platform for advertisers. With 2.26 billion people on Facebook every day, it allows you to target your message to a specific demographic in a particular location and if done correctly can have profound effects on brands at a relatively low cost. - Instagram.
Instagram is Facebook’s visual sister. Instagram is the platform most people use to share exciting imagery and visuals. Many people are known to share pics of food, travel and its an excellent platform for lifestyle brands to advertise and engage on. - Twitter.
Twitter is the platform used for “breaking news” or topics of social interest that are trending. Each person has an account referred to as a Twitter handle, and they can send out information which cannot exceed 140 characters. On Twitter, adding a “#” to the beginning of an unbroken word or phrase creates a hashtag. When you use a hashtag in a Tweet, it becomes linked to all of the other Tweets that include the same hashtag. Including a hashtag gives a Tweet context and can provide the conversation with longevity. One can follow other people on Twitter and then you can follow discussions and conversations and feedback that is given on the subject. - LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is one of the few social media platforms that is designed for professionals to engage with other professionals. Users create a profile outlining their career and business interests and can then engage with other professionals within the same community or interest group. LinkedIn is often an excellent platform for job seekers wanting to network with key companies in their specified area of interest, and this is also a unique platform for brands to advertise their products to at a targeted company or person in a specific position within the company. - Snapchat.
Snapchat is a messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos (called snaps) that are meant to disappear after they’re viewed. It’s advertised as a “new type of camera” because the essential function is to take a picture or video, add filters, lenses or other effects and share them with friends. - Messengers.
With so many people being attached to their phone day and night, it makes sense to use a communications platform that people are already using many times a day. Examples of this are the top-rated App called WhatsApp. Groups can be created with family, friends or a special interest group and 2-way communication can occur. One can also make telephone calls on this platform and data is used for allowing these messages and calls to take place.
Another popular Messenger app is Facebook Messenger. Facebook Messenger allows Facebook friends who may not have your details to send you a direct message in private, and then you can respond as if it was an SMS. - Pinterest.
Pinterest is a platform that most people use to generate ideas on how to do anything of interest to them. From learning how to bake a birthday cake in the shape of a minion to learning how to build a bathroom, Pinterest will have you covered. It allows you to create an interest board and “pin” the items that interest you so that you can refer back to it at a later stage. Having a brand presence on Pinterest is an innovative way for brands to engage with potential consumers as it is not a crowded platform in comparison to Facebook advertising. - YouTube
YouTube is a platform that allows anyone to post videos which can then be shared within the platform. It made Justin Bieber famous at the tender age of 13 when his now manager saw him doing covers of songs, and the rest, as they say, is history! One can see how many times a video has been watched.
Another example of YouTube making people famous is Ryan’s World (formerly Ryan Toys Review). This is a children’s YouTube channel featuring Ryan Kaji, who is eight years old, along with his mother (Loann Kaji), father (Shion Kaji), and twin sisters (Emma and Kate). The channel is one of the Top 100 most-subscribed YouTube channels in the United States. Ryan is an avid toy reviewer who made $22 million in 2018 from his channel. Toymakers are flocking to allow him to test and comment on their products as they know being on his platform could mean the overnight success (or demise) of their product. Many brands are also using YouTube to show their adverts on which is cheaper than TV and still allows for great exposure. - TikTok.
TikTok is a social media platform that focuses on short-form mobile video. It is used to create short lip-sync, comedy, and talent videos. Although brands can advertise on this platform, the viewer can scroll past the videos without having to watch any of the content, so this may not be the best platform for brands.
- Facebook.
Hopefully, this has given you a bird’s eye view of the busy and exciting world of digital marketing. Remember, whichever platform you use, content is king. If you can be authentic and sincere with your communications, you can only grow in your followers, customers and ultimately your business.
Cheers for now,
Tracey
