The first web-based banner ad was created in October 1994 as part of an AT&T advertising effort, and 44% of internet users clicked on it. It has been cited as the first type of digital marketing, but display advertising is only a small part of the overall digital marketing business.
It now encompasses a broad variety of internet-based strategies that deliver content and promotional offers via digital marketing channels.
Let’s first understand a Digital Marketing Channel
Digital marketing channels are platforms through which you can communicate with your target audience about your business, product, or service.
Using these channels enables you to assist your customers with any questions or challenges they may have while also positioning your company well so that you can move closer to your marketing objectives.
However, not all types of digital marketing channels are suitable for all of your company objectives. Some are better suited to specific types of audiences, while others are set up differently based on what they can do. As a result, you must understand which digital marketing channel to employ and then implement the best practices to accomplish a specific goal.
Best Digital Marketing Channels
Digital marketing channels are numerous and can be beneficial to your company goals. Here are some instances of digital marketing channels and how they can help your business.
1. Websites
Your website is an essential tool for your business since it gives you a dedicated platform to educate consumers about your brand, goods, and services. This necessitates a thorough understanding of your target demographic as well as an effective content marketing approach.
Whatever the size of your company, creating a website can provide your firm with the internet presence it requires to communicate with and/or sell to prospects. In fact, according to another poll, 69% of Americans had purchased something online.
Whether your company is involved in e-commerce or is more service-oriented, whether B2C or B2B, you should surely invest in a website. You can design a website using WordPress to save money, and the good news is that there are many free WordPress themes accessible.
Your website is an excellent platform for content marketing efforts. You can deliver valuable and relevant content to existing and potential consumers through blog posts and announcements to assist them overcome their trouble points. Because websites support multimedia, you can readily spread many forms of content, such as articles, infographics, and even videos.
The most important details in this text are the benefits of having the right mix of content types on a website. These include increased organic traffic, lead generation, creating content assets in various formats, and promoting content via social media and email marketing.
These strategies can lead to better brand recognition, authority building, and new sales opportunities for a business. Organic traffic is generated by people gravitating to a website for high-quality, relevant, and insightful content. Lead generation is generated when people come to a website and are interested in learning more about a product or service.
2. Organic Search (SEO)
Over 63,000 Google search queries are performed every second, making it a huge opportunity for businesses. To capture new opportunities organically, businesses should adopt modern SEO best practices such as keyword research, blog post optimization, and linkable content creation.
Organic Search (SEO) can help businesses by producing quality and optimized content, linking to high-quality sites, optimizing their website with on-page and off-page optimization, and implementing local SEO to market their business within their community and nearby areas.
On-page SEO includes choosing the right keywords and providing meta descriptions for their content, while off-page SEO involves link-building techniques like guest posting. Local SEO involves listing their business name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistently across their website, business directories, and social media profile.
3. Paid Search (SEM)
Paid search (SEM) has the potential to give marketers ROI, as it is shown above organic search results, making them more visible to users. For every $1 spent on Google Ads, they can earn an average of $2 in return.
Additionally, PPC results gain 150% more conversions than organic visitors, making paid search a win-win situation for marketing campaigns. SEM can help marketers brand awareness, lead generation, and conversions.
It involves less work than SEO, and can target ads to appear in front of motivated buyers based on their demographic or location without the nitty-gritty of on- or off-page SEO. Remarketing to an audience on Facebook can also be used to get people who have expressed interest in an ad but weren’t ready to buy yet back to the website.
4. Instant Messaging (IM) Marketing
Instant messaging has become the preferred way of communication over texting and email due to its real-time replies and the feeling of having a real conversation. This can lead to a more personalized experience, leading to greater conversions and less cart abandonment.
To use instant messaging, businesses should use automation and regulation to ensure their brand voice is consistent. Automation can help streamline the process while still imparting a personal touch to make your brand more personable.
5. Email
Email is a popular channel for businesses to generate leads and drive revenue. It has become so widespread that it reached 3.9 billion users in 2020 and is expected to grow to 4.3 billion users in 2023. It still delivers the best returns, with 73% of respondents ranking it as excellent.
Email can help you in many ways, such as brand awareness and conversion, lead nurturing, ROI, and customer feedback and support. Best practices and top strategies include crafting time-sensitive subject headlines, personalizing emails, and reserving emails for customer feedback and support.
Email has become so widespread that it reached 3.9 billion users in 2020 and is expected to grow to 4.3 billion users in 2023.
6. Social Media
Social media marketing is a powerful tool for businesses to reach out to potential buyers by engaging them in a more personal and authentic fashion. This can help generate highly qualified leads on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook, which account for driving 80%, 13%, and 7% of qualified B2B leads, respectively.
To use social media effectively, businesses must invest time in cultivating relationships with their target market as they try to understand the needs and interests of their buyer personas. To use social media effectively, businesses must be original, and creative, and include hashtags in their posts. Additionally, they must be able to create content that is easy to share, open up word-of-mouth opportunities, and generate highly qualified leads.
7. Mobile
The number of mobile phone users is increasing and this trend is expected to continue in the years to come, making it important to serve promotional content to mobile users. Geo-targeting strategies can be used to recommend products or services more conveniently, and mobile apps are a profitable marketing channel.
Mobile can also collect customer data, which can be used to map out a mobile marketing strategy that produces results. Mobile shopping is in, making mobile marketing a core strategy especially if you’re in the retail business.
To use mobile, businesses should create a mobile website or app that is optimized for mobile viewing, and explore mobile technologies like QR codes that customers can scan to go to your website, access or save your business details, or pay for their purchases.
8. Display Ads
Display ads are an effective way to communicate your advertising message better. They are shown on websites, email platforms, social media, and many other digital channels that offer ad placements, usually in the form of a banner.
Compared to search ads, display ads have lower cost-per-click since there’s more advertising space available across the web than on a search engine. They also have the ability to track users for retargeting, which can lead to more conversions at a lower cost-per-click (CPC).
To use display ads effectively, it is important to highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) and avoid hard-sell call-to-action (CTA) phrases. These CTAs should focus more on customers’ needs rather than those of your business.
9. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is like affiliate marketing, where companies collaborate with influencers to gain access to their unique following. It focuses on building brand awareness and improving brand trust, and can also be an excellent channel for conversions.
To use influencer marketing, companies should find a trustworthy influencer with a good following and a clean track record, evaluate their content and how their fans engage, create a partner, treat them well, and engage with them often to grow the relationship and establish themselves as a good partner. Online Public Relations can also help.
10. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a partnership between merchants and affiliate marketers to promote a product or service through referrals. It can be effective in generating leads and driving sales, regardless of where your target audience is in the customer journey.
Affiliate marketers are focused on referring your products or services to a vast network of audiences via websites, social media platforms, blogs, or newsletters. To use affiliate marketing effectively, it is important to find the right affiliates, build relationships with them, and provide valuable, meaningful content to your target audience.
The sales cycle in B2B can drag longer, but with the right approach, affiliate programs don’t need to be exclusive to either B2B or B2C.
11. Video Marketing
The value of video in marketing is undeniable, with statistics showing an increase in open rates to conversion rates. Optimizing your video content can help you reach the results and metrics you want for your website.
Audience engagement is key, with 54% of consumers watching, liking, and sharing your content extensively. SEO boost is also possible, with increased search ranking and website traffic.
Know the different types of videos for marketing, such as brand videos for consumers in the awareness stage, case study videos for those in the consideration funnel, or testimonial videos featuring real brands or people that have benefited from your product or service. Telling a story is also a great way to become more relatable and establish continuity.
12. Online Public Relations
Online PR is an umbrella term for various strategies and channels businesses use to build awareness and engage with consumers online. It can include identifying and targeting website viewers, studying your industry niche, and searching and communicating with influencers and experts.
Data-driven results can help businesses adapt to their target market, and online PR is a faster and more convenient way to inform and convert people. Best practices and top strategies include hiring a specialist, considering the competition, and taking advantage of online trends.
Consider These Factors While Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Channels
When deciding on the best marketing channels for your company, consider how well they fit your needs.
i. Aims and objectives
As a general rule, the channel you select should be guided by the goals of your marketing campaign, whether they are brand awareness, conversion, thought leadership, lead generation/nurturing, or ROI. It’s also critical to align your objectives with your business model.
If you are a traditional company looking to rebrand, social media marketing should be a good place to start. You can use the previous section of this post to narrow down the best channels for your needs.
ii. Budget
Advertising costs differ depending on the channel. Some provide tools that can be used for free, while others require a fee. Others, such as paid search, fall somewhere in the middle, with performance marketing benefits in which you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Begin with a small budget to get things going, then gradually increase as you see a steady stream of positive results.
iii. Target Audience
Knowing which channels specific personas are most active or engaged on is one way to target them. With this information, it is also easier to create content that will appeal to your target audience.
iv. Competitors
If your competitor is selling to customers through a specific marketing channel, you can either (1) follow suit and capitalize on that channel’s existing market or (2) look elsewhere where there is less competition—though you must also consider whether there is enough opportunity for you to sell in less popular channels.
v. Functionality
Depending on the size or nature of your company, you may or may not require all of the nice-to-have features that a specific digital marketing channel provides. Consider starting with basic features and then scaling up once you’ve determined they’re worthwhile to invest in.
vi. Integration
Even if you use multiple digital channels to market your business, you should be able to provide users with a seamless experience in which they can easily transition from one channel or device to another.
The Most Effective Channels with the Best Results
The various digital marketing channels operate differently and, as a result, produce different results. Furthermore, what works for one brand may not necessarily work for you. The ideal scenario is that you test various channels and strategies to see which combination works best for you.
Digital marketing mediums are just that: a way for your company to reach out to your target audience as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Take the time to track key metrics and determine whether the results are assisting you in maximizing your ROI. Otherwise, don’t be afraid to change your marketing strategy in the future.
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By SEO
- May 31, 2023
By SEO
