We are witnessing the digital revolution take shape right before our eyes. Most consumers are relying on search engines such as Google and Yahoo to get information about a selected industry or products. Online customer reviews are becoming more and more relevant, gradually edging out word-of-mouth reviews. If you want to make a cut through in your business niche, you must invest in a strong online presence. You need a foolproof online marketing strategy if you are to compete effectively in the flooded digital space. In case you are yet to see the need to invest in online marketing, here are 6 reasons that will convince you otherwise.

 

1. The internet is getting bigger and more influential

Almost everyone has a smartphone these days. Statistics show that Millennials spend an average of 6 hours on the internet every day, and this trend is only going to grow. If your story isn’t being shared online, then you can bet that no one will hear about it. Businesses who have invested sufficiently in digital marketing have seen their brands grow exponentially, whereas those that haven’t are still struggling to find their footing in the current marketing dispensation.

The internet overshadows mainstream media and traditional marketing in a big way. Your chances of generating reach and visibility are almost guaranteed with internet marketing, which isn’t necessarily the case with traditional marketing approaches. Potential clients need to assess your products online and review their prices and other important specifications before placing their orders or stepping foot in your physical shop.

 

2. …And social media

The firstborn of the internet is social media. If the internet is sending shockwaves across the world, then it is true to say that social media is sending shockwaves within the marketing world. Social media advertising should account for over 60% of your entire online marketing strategy if you are to increase your brand’s and products’ exposure. Social media users are increasing by the day, including in the continents that lag behind in regards to tech adoption. Even if someone doesn’t need your products or services today, he/she might need it tomorrow. And guess what: Potential customers often go for the products they’ve seen, engaged, and familiarized with on social media. If you cannot appeal to them, your competitors will. Therefore, you need to leverage social media to build your brand identity and hence establish an effective social marketing strategy.

 

3. There isn’t a better way to reach a more targeted audience

Google, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook have so many users worldwide, users who trust the platforms to provide them with the best shopping experience. Google algorithms ensure that searchers get the most helpful solutions to their problems; the best answers to their questions. Facebook, on the other hand, gives users the freedom to control the content they consume and to dictate their tastes and preferences. Twitter and Instagram are also known to use powerful algorithms to catch the attention of the right audience for your products, services, or message.

Digital marketing takes a departure from traditional advertising media such as TV ads that often disrupt the wrong audience with irrelevant campaigns. People hate it when you bombard them with information they don’t need, and that can be detrimental to your brand reputation. On the other hand, investing money in a marketing campaign that ends up reaching disinterested audiences isn’t a smart investment option. Digital marketing ensures that you only spend money on campaigns that target people who are actually interested in whatever you have to say or sell.

 

 4. It gets the best out of your SEO investment

If you have invested in SEO online courses, either for you or your subordinates, then you understand the importance of bringing in as many organic hits as possible. “You want people to find your website online in a natural way in order to boost your SEO rankings and rise above the competition” say SEO experts of Tactica. One way of making that happen is by using digital marketing to tell people about your website. You can use a Facebook sponsored ad, for example, to attract social media users to your page, from where you can then direct them to your website.

 

5. Its coverage is instantaneous

This doesn’t need much explaining: Digital marketing eliminates all middlemen so that business can proceed instantaneously. Your potential customers are online and so are your products. You interact with customers freely and they engage with your products right away. Everything happens on the same platform, so you are able to sell your products faster. You are also able to tell whether or not a particular digital marketing approach is working within a month of using it, unlike traditional marketing strategies that limit your chances of assessing their output.

 

6. You need to take advantage of the rise of mobile

Lastly, people are consuming more information through their mobile phones. Big screens such as TVs and desktop computers are being phased out faster than people care to imagine. To reach these mobile users, you need marketing messages that are specially tailored for small devices. That is where online marketing beats traditional advertising hands down.

 

Conclusion

We have established that online marketing is king when it comes to boosting your visibility, both online and offline. It is a powerful tool to use when you want to reach your targeted demographics and to relay personalized ads to every demographic. Clearly, your business needs a little boost from online marketing if it is to get any meaningful relevance in the highly competitive global market.

 

 

 

 

Guest Blog Contribution by Matt Rivera.