What Is Digital Marketing?

Posted on by Ashley Walker

Today, 93% of American adults use the internet. Though the internet is often seen as a young person’s game, people of all ages interact with digital marketing daily.  

Whether it’s watching an advertisement before watching a YouTube video or company social media plunging into a new trend, all types of marketing inform a person’s decisions on where to eat, what to buy, and what trends to pay mind to.  

In fact, consumers typically expect to learn about your brand online before making a purchase decision. They want to read the latest reviews, what influencers think of a product, and why it’s better than the many competitive options targeted in their direction.  

One of the most difficult things to predict about your company’s operations is how to most effectively reach and engage with your target audience. So, what can you do?  

Digital Marketing Overview 

According to HubSpot, digital marketing refers to all marketing efforts that occur on the internet. Businesses can leverage digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and other websites to connect with current and prospective customers.  

Types of Digital Marketing  

What Can Digital Marketing Do?  

Grow your website traffic quickly. 

Believe it or not, your customers are going to go to your website to learn more about your product or service. Online marketing helps push traffic to specific pages on your company’s website, specifically conversion points such as booking an appointment or contacting sales teams directly.   

Converting website traffic into sales is essential in any digital marketing effort. Typically, advertising and social media are great ways to pull traffic to your company’s website.  

Increase your brand equity in the marketplace. 

Brand equity is the weight of your company’s name. When you reach for a nose tissue, you think of Kleenex. When you think of a fast-food burger, you think of Whataburger. Brand equity doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen with effective digital marketing.  

Brand equity requires a deep understanding of your customer’s “buyer’s journey.” Once you have an idea of what your average customer does to purchase your service or product, consider the steps. Targeting each step of your buyer’s journey from awareness to purchase allows your brand to speak to each need. 

Your marketing completely depends on this customer process. What are they looking for? What is the average age of this buyer? What need can you solve and how does this person typically communicate?  

All of this can be resolved with a strategic marketing partner.   

Be easy to find when it’s time for your buyers to decide. 

Hello, here’s where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) shines. Your company needs to be easy to find so where do people typically look? They type a brand name into Google or another search engine like Bing and hope they can find the company.  

If not from direct search, it will be from a social post or advertisement. When a prospect is ready to make a purchase, you want to be easy to find.  

Optimize your website with the right information and tools to convert visitors into sales. 

Your website needs to convey what your business does, what your product or service is, who your target market is, create a cohesive brand ecosystem, and inform the viewer how to take the next step. If the website doesn’t give the information a user needs right away, they’ll click away and find another company that can service their needs quickly, without speaking to anyone outright.  

A digital marketing partner can ensure your website conveys the right messaging that speaks to a customer’s needs.  

Maintain a consistent brand presence on your business’s most important online platforms. 

The easiest way to stay top-of-mind is to advertise and post consistently on social media. A marketing partner should be able to identify what your target customer views regularly and how you can stand out from what your competitors are doing in the market.  

For an Effective Marketing Partner, Think Hot Dog  

If you want true engagement and qualified leads, you need a highly targeted audience with effective messaging that speaks to their specific needs. Nothing is better than digital marketing.  

Hot Dog Marketing is an effective partner dedicated to your company’s success. From the start, we offer strategic digital marketing that is tailored to your biggest customer. To get started on your journey for true growth, contact us today.  

If you’re looking for a quick answer for a marketing budget, use our free marketing calculator.