Marketing your business on the internet is now a key part of its overall success in today’s growing digital culture. The future of marketing no longer relies completely on traditional forms of advertising such as newspapers, radio ads, or television commercials. Marketing your business on the internet involves promoting your company or products through multiple forms of electronic media–podcasts, social media platforms, digital television ads, mobile applications, digital billboards, etc. In order for your business to be successful and relevant in this crowded global marketplace, you must consider the importance of digital marketing.
Four Reasons Why Online Marketing Is Essential For All Businesses, Especially Smaller Ones
1. Increases Website Traffic and Visibility
An obvious benefit of online marketing is its immediate ability to increase the traffic on and visibility of your business’s website. According to Forbes, one in four Americans make one or more online purchases a week, 70% of Facebook users interact with the platform daily, and smartphone users pick up their phones around 1,500 times every day. If you consistently market your business through email newsletters or social media, for example, you can expect most internet and mobile device users to see–and potentially click on–your ads or pages. Social media platforms like Instagram have algorithms that show users particular company ads based on what the user has liked, followed, or previously searched for in the past or most recently. Your visibility will be expanded across longer distances as well, making it possible for you to sell products to larger populations in other cities, states, and even countries.
2. Helps you be More Available and Connect to Customers
Unless you really are a 24-hour business, you will not be available to your customers at all times at your physical location. This limitation is one instance when having a functional website and digital marketing are extremely useful and beneficial to your revenue. Because consumers’ abilities to shop during regular business hours can be hindered by work schedules, digital marketing can offer them a 24-hour outlet for finding what they need when they need it.
You can also connect and communicate more closely with your customers through various social media platforms. Customers can find out more about your business and products or services by looking at your Instagram pictures, scrolling through your Twitter feed, and contacting you through your Facebook page. Many people in this digital age prefer initial communication via email or another online messaging system, and social media is where customers can privately message you if they have a particular question. Some platforms (such as Facebook) also have a system in which users can rate your business and leave a public review for other potential customers to read. By creating one or multiple social media accounts, you will be able to quickly update customers about new features and products while attracting future customers.
3. Faster, Streamlined, and Easily Adaptable
With the internet, you can immediately publish an ad, a social media post, or a blog post, and that post will be available to the public eye as soon as you hit “submit.” Communication through digital marketing is also faster and more streamlined than ever before–as was mentioned above in correlation to social media platforms. According to a CMO Council survey, 52% of customers said that a company’s most important attribute is fast response times to their questions and suggestions. By putting your business online, you can ensure that you will be able to satisfy your customers at quicker rates than you would if you were not marketing digitally.
4. Establishes/Strengthens your Business’s Credibility
The internet is the prime platform for building customer-company relationships and increasing customer retention levels. As you receive more business through various online marketing strategies, your company’s credibility will also increase as more consumers take advantage of your services and recommend other customers to you. You will help build a sense of community by being able to send customers personalized thank you notes and newsletters by email and by encouraging them to leave a review. By maintaining a strong online presence, you will show customers and potential customers that your business is active and dynamic, continuing to grow and adapt to the changing outside world and consumers’ needs.
According to SAS, “people want brands they can trust, companies that know them, communications that are personalized and relevant, and offers tailored to their needs and preferences.” Utilizing online marketing strategies can help your company develop and grow each of these characteristics in a heartbeat. It will also boost your revenue quickly, involving a lower investment on your part. To learn more about how the world of digital marketing can help you and your company, check out the digital marketing agency DigitalCoast Marketing for more educational posts covering everything from SEO to web design and digital advertising.
