Digital marketing

What is Digital Marketing?

Upon its development in the 1960s, the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) was the first vision of the Internet. But it wasn’t until January 1, 1983 that the modern Internet would be “assembled.” Today, we know it as a connection of networks to networks that allows people across the globe to communicate in a digital space. Since the first website went live in 1991, we’ve made some incredible technological advancements. Thanks to the Internet, video conferencing, social media and interactive articles became possible. These resources and tools helped paved the way for digital marketing.

Digital marketing allows marketers to connect with their target audience in a space in which they interact most. The numbers can be startling: Users spend about 5 hours per day on mobile devices. Application usage accounts for a whopping 92%, versus just 8% of browser usage. And Adweek reported that the average user will spend roughly 5 years and 4 months on social media. That leaves a lot of opportunity for digital marketing.

Digital Marketing: What to Know

From social media analytics to email newsletters to writing blog content, there is a lot to consider when it comes to digital marketing. Here are four things to keep in mind.

There are many facets

Blogging, vlogging, podcasts, websites, social media and Email are all digital marketing strategies. A well-rounded digital marketing strategy uses a combination of strategies. What strategies you use depends on your needs, audience, campaign and/or resources. While one company may find success in having a blog and podcast, another may only need to have a blog.

There is a quicker turnaround time than traditional marketing…

Compared to traditional marketing, digital marketing is “alive” in that it can be interactive and include audio and/or video. It’s also published much more quickly. Traditional marketing vehicles like brochures need to be written, designed, and printed. But with digital marketing, you can write a blog post and immediately publish it to your website. Since the blog post design is pre-determined in the website code, you don’t need to worry about laying it out.

…But use traditional marketing strategies in conjunction

Traditional Marketing and digital marketing strategies go hand in hand. You need to interact with your audience through as many mediums as possible. So, a successful integrated campaign will need strategies from both types. You can develop a product brochure and direct users to a webpage to learn more information. Companies include social media icons on their website, printed literature and more to show on which social sites they are active. You can even develop a printed mailer to alert customers of an online seminar that may be of interest. Think about how these strategies can best work together to tell your story.