For many marketers, when they hear the words digital marketing, their minds automatically turn to their social media marketing strategies. The truth is, there is so much more to your digital marketing strategy than just having a presence on Facebook or Twitter. UK freelance SEO Andy Drinkwater says that digital marketing is any strategy that falls under the use of a digital technology and this may include internet, mobile phones, display advertising or any other digital medium. As technology continues to improve and become more incorporated in our daily lives, digital marketing through all platforms is becoming increasingly important for brands.
The two components of digital marketing
So as to not become overwhelmed, let’s think of digital marketing as fitting into two buckets:
Internet marketing – websites, search engine marketing, mobile markets (i.e. Google Play, Apple Store), email marketing, online banner advertising and social media.
Non-internet digital channels – television, radio, mobile text campaigns, digital billboards, etc.
Digital marketing can be done both on and offline to reach potential customers, and many campaigns can (and should) include more than one channel.
Going beyond social media
Here are a few additional digital marketing tactics outside of the social media box that your business should think about.
1. Location-based marketing
There are a multitude of options for brands to use location-based or geo-location marketing to reach customers. For example, I was recently at a Twin’s baseball game at Target Field and received push notifications on my phone for food and souvenir coupons. Geo-location based mobile beacons are a way to deliver digital and mobile coupons while consumers are in a specific location via mobile messaging platforms such as SMS text message marketing and mobile app push notifications.
Take caution when using these location-based marketing tactics; messages should only be sent to customers who have opted in to a permission-based list via text-to-join, online sign up pages or have downloaded your mobile app.
2. Email marketing
Before you say, “email marketing is outdated or spammy,” let me tell you, 91 percent of U.S. adults say they like receiving emails from companies they already know. When done correctly, email marketing offers one of the highest returns on investment. In order to stand out, get to know what your subscribers want and deliver valuable content to them on a schedule that is consistent, yet not overbearing.
There is a balance between emails that your customers want and those that are just spammy or ignored. In order to keep your email marketing strategy relevant in your customer’s inboxes, you must be creating quality content that your customers love to read.
3. Paid advertising
While paid advertising often happens on social media now (and this post is supposed to be about your options besides social media), the truth is many people overlook paid advertising. Go beyond Google AdWords campaigns and incorporate paid social media messages as well. Your paid advertising campaigns on digital channels should be well-rounded and set to reach your greatest audience potential based on your target customers.
Learn more about why paid Facebook ads, promoted posts and boosted posts can help businesses gain exposure to new audiences.
4. Blog!
Blogging is not dead and it’s a great way for your brand to demonstrate your expertise, establish yourself as an industry leader and build relationships with potential customers. Blogging can bring additional visitors to your website and increase your website’s search engine optimization (SEO), which means more people find you online and land on your website. And, as you do incorporate social media into your digital strategies, your blog will serve as another source of valuable content.
Learn more about the power of a business blog.
These are a just a few of the ways your brand can utilize the different digital marketing resources available. If you’re interested in more ways you can tackle digital marketing or you’re looking for tips to establish your brand on social media, Allee Creative can help!
