Digital marketing is the promotion of products, services, and brands through internet-connected channels. It includes advertising via social media, websites, search engines, emails, and digital newsletters. Actually, the sector is constantly expanding, with more recent additions, including advertising via mobile apps, online video and live streams.

Digital marketing is essential for any business because of the almost universal use of the internet and mobile devices to find, locate, and research products and services. Online advertising efforts can include paid advertising and organic methods such as SEO, social media outreach, and blog posts.

Here is a look at this essential subject, which affects every business, regardless of size and industry.

The History of Digital Marketing

The term “digital marketing” dates back to the early 1990s. In 1994, AT&T placed the first clickable ad banner online. It had an impressive 44% click-through rate, giving marketers an idea of the potential of online advertising. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that this type of marketing really started taking off.

People began seeking more and more information online as internet access became widespread and connections became faster. Google pioneered search engine marketing, and not long after iPhones and other smartphones gave people access to the mobile internet. In addition, social media, video streaming, and mobile apps gave businesses additional marketing channels. This caused most marketers to focus almost exclusively on advertising via digital platforms. Now, faster 5G connections, augmented reality, and more smart devices promise to make it even more important in the future.

Benefits of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has changed the advertising landscape and brought benefitsto many businesses. Here is a look at some of these advantages.

• Instant worldwide reach. People can connect to the internet all around the world. This means businesses can instantly reach potential customers anywhere on the globe.
• Accessibility. Unlike print, television, and radio advertising, digital ads are often cheaper and, in some cases, free. Free social media accounts, an inexpensive website, and low-cost ad placement or paid searches can help small businesses reach customers without the need for a large advertising budget.
• Build relationships. This can foster direct interactions between customers and companies. These relations can lead to greater trust in your brand and the ability to offer personalized recommendations.
• Data and tracking. These tools produce data that you can use to track performance. Analytics can help improve marketing performance and offer insights into consumer interests and trends.

Drawbacks

Digital marketing does come with certain caveats that companies need to be aware of when they start planning campaigns.

• Marketing overload. People see so many ads nowadays when they are online. This can lead consumers to tune them out or click away at the first sign of sales-oriented content or language.
• Amplified negative reviews. People who have a poor experience with a business will often post their complaints online. These negative reviews could scare away potential customers and could even get amplified if people share them on social media.
• Potential for a poor return on investment. This can be tricky if you don’t have the right support and tools to do it effectively. For example, if you are not fully versed in understanding paid search keywords, you can spend a lot on advertising only to draw the wrong customers to your website.

You need useful and unbiased information about digital marketing to help you avoid these drawbacks.

A Closer Look at Digital Marketing

At In Context SEO, we are creating a collection of articles and blog posts that will provide deeper insights into digital marketing and what it can do for your business or organization. This information can help you understand the nuances of digital marketing so that you know what to avoid and what to expect. Sign up for our newsletter and receive notifications about new digital marketing content.

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