Why Is Digital Marketing Important?

Digital Marketing: Why It’s Important

We live in the digital world. People are glued to their phones, and an increasing amount of our economic lives exist online. As we spend more and more time online, marketers are shifting their focus away from traditional advertising outlets and towards the new frontier: digital marketing.

If you’re a small- to medium-sized business (SMB) looking to expand your brand’s reach online, you might still be on the fence about just how important digital marketing really is. With that in mind, we’ve put together this blog. Below, we’ll discuss all of the advantages that digital marketing offers over traditional forms of advertising, including lower costs, better tracking and optimization opportunities, and direct marketing.

So: why is digital marketing important? How is it superior to traditional forms of marketing? 

Digital Marketing is Cost-Effective

One of the greatest advantages when it comes to digital marketing is cost-effectiveness. Compared to print and TV advertising, digital marketing is surprisingly affordable.

It’s not just that billboards and TV commercials are expensive, either: they’re also becoming less relevant. Given that digital advertising is increasingly effective by comparison, the relative cost differential is even more exaggerated. Why pay millions for a TV ad campaign when you can reap greater benefits via digital marketing? 

Metrics and Optimization

There’s a saying that was popular for many years amongst old-school marketers: half of your money in marketing is wasted, but you never know which half. In the old days, that was both funny and true. Beyond some initial focus group research and the occasional respondent survey, it was pretty difficult to tell just how effective an individual advertising campaign actually was.

With digital marketing, things are different. Services like Google Analytics allow you to track metrics and customer conversions with incredible accuracy. These metrics allow you to quickly determine the return on investment (ROI) of a given strategy.

That brings us to another major advantage of digital marketing: on-the-fly optimization. Traditionally, millions of dollars would go into an ad campaign up front. If it failed, all of that money was wasted. With digital marketing, metrics allow you to make an adjustment to campaigns as you go. This means even greater ROI down the road. 

Authenticity and Direct Marketing

The general public has grown less and less engaged in traditional advertising campaigns. Millennials, in particular, seek authenticity from brands above all else. Generic television ads and billboards just don’t cut it anymore. People want you to communicate with them directly.

The digital world offers an excellent opportunity for direct marketing and authentic engagement with your customers. Rather than marketing to the public at large, you can connect with your audience personally. Greater authenticity means an increase in trust, which leads to better sales and higher ROI.

Social media can play a significant role here. A few years ago, social media may have still been optional in a number of industries. Now, though, a social media presence is essential for any business that wants to stay competitive. A comprehensive and multifaceted digital marketing strategy will include the right approach to social media, including a focus on the platforms most commonly used by your particular customer demographic. 

Digital Marketing: Your Key to Success

There’s no doubt about it: digital marketing is integral to the success of any business in today’s world. Getting started with your digital presence can be intimidating, but trust us: it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right digital marketing agency on your team, you can get the results you’re looking for on a budget that works for you.