Digital marketing: What is it?  Defined & Illustrated

Digital marketing can develop into an active marketing channel to draw in and interact with new clients with the help of a sound plan and efficient implementation. The definition of digital marketing is provided here, along with some examples and starting point advice.

Define digital marketing

Marketing initiatives aimed at consumers that use digital channels are referred to as digital marketing, or online marketing. The term "digital marketing" refers to all internet marketing strategies used to further commercial and promotional objectives. Numerous digital marketing channels exist, including:

*Social media marketing: Social media marketing aids businesses in boosting their brand recognition, engaging with clients, and driving traffic to their website. 

*Marketing with content: Marketing with content draws in, educates, informs, and entertains potential clients. 

*Search engine optimization (SEO): SEO makes a website more visible in search results, which attracts more visitors and leads to more sales. One of the best methods for attracting and nurturing both new and existing clients is email marketing. YouTube alone reaches more US individuals between the ages of 18 and 49 than any cable network. 

A growing number of businesses are using video marketing as a digital marketing channel to deliver content that interests consumers and performs well in search results.

*Mobile marketing: Other forms of mobile marketing include in-app advertisements, push notifications, mobile banner ads, SMS messaging, and QR codes. 

*Influencer marketing: In order to promote a business and spread the word about your product, influencers are sponsored. 

*Partnerships and affiliate marketing  : In both of these scenarios, an agreement is reached. 

*Search engine marketing:  Search engine marketing, such as Google pay-per-click ads, is a type of online advertising that is used to drive traffic to websites and sales pages. 

The ability to collect and analyze data in real-time is a significant advantage of digital marketing over traditional marketing.  This ensures that digital marketing teams can make data-driven decisions in order to meet their business and marketing objectives.

Advantages of digital marketing

For a variety of reasons, digital marketing should be an integral part of any business marketing strategy.  Among the advantages are:

*It is easily scalable.
*It is inexpensive.
*It gives you a direct line of communication with your customers.
*Results can be measured and analyzed in a timely and transparent manner.

*It allows you to learn from your customers, the market, and other industry participants.

Digital marketing examples

Learning from successful examples of digital marketing is a practical way to improve your digital marketing skills.  While it is not recommended to copy and paste another company's methods, you can combine many ideas to create a unique strategy for your company. 

The following are three examples of digital marketing: 

Uber 

The ride-sharing service Uber has been disrupting the taxi industry since its first ride in 2010. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are Uber's primary digital marketing channels.  The company engages customers through social media and spreads positive, inclusive messaging about connectivity and social awareness.  When a brand connects its messaging to cultural issues, customers feel more connected to it.

Netflix

Netflix, the online movie streaming service, has expanded into 190 countries worldwide.  Netflix uses Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram, and it actively engages with customers on all of these platforms.  "Netflix and chill" has become a popular phrase in global pop culture.  The brand creates relatable, culturally relevant, and entertaining social content, and it sometimes uses polls to crowdsource product improvement decisions from customers. 

The Dollar Shave Club 

This small shaving company gained public attention and a $1 billion acquisition by Unilever in 2016 thanks to its cheeky digital marketing.  Since its inception in 2011, their amusing launch video has received over 22 million views on YouTube.

These three brands established globally successful businesses through effective and consistent digital marketing campaigns, easily distinguishing themselves from competitors. 

Digital marketing is all about reaching out to customers through digital platforms.  Here are some digital marketing fundamentals to keep in mind.

Fundamentals of digital marketing

*Begin with research:  Conduct research to better understand your customers' behaviors and online habits. Begin with a few platforms where your customers are most active. Rather than spreading your resources thin, invest your time and resources in the platforms that will yield the greatest return. Provide value through content: Use the 80/20 rule when creating and sharing content. 80% of your efforts should be focused on providing value to your customers, and 20% on sharing information about your company and products. 

*Performance evaluation:  Monitor the success of your marketing campaigns across all channels. 

*Stay nimble: Use marketing templates to plan, manage, and carry out marketing tasks. Update your marketing technology and methods frequently. 

*Be dependable: To make it simple for customers to recognize your brand over time, keep your brand messaging and design consistent. 

You're well on your way to developing effective digital marketing plans and campaigns that move your organization closer to accomplishing its goals if you use the examples and advice provided above.