Digital marketing strategy

Digital marketing - is the marketing of products or services via forms of electronic media to reach customers. It can be the Internet, but also mobile phones or display advertising. The concept of digital marketing can be used interchangeably with the terms online marketing, web marketing or internet marketing.

This term was first used in the 1990s. Since then, digital marketing has changed. Especially in the 2000s and the 2010s, when it was recognized that it effectively helps to grow the company.

Why digital marketing works so well

There are four main reasons for the good functioning of digital marketing:

• Scalability: Building and exploring activities that work well is very easy.
• Insight: The efficiency and optimization of advertising are better thanks to the data it collects.
• Integration: Digital marketing has a lot of tools and techniques that are useful for creating a brand and company system.
• Market all the time: The company can sell its products round-the-clock. Thanks to mobile applications the clients (wherever they are and whenever) can find your business.

Digital marketing strategy

Digital marketing strategy is not just a list of actions or tactics. This is something much more elaborate. For a strategy to be good and work for many years, it requires a strong and clear vision of our company. For example: 'Facebook advertising' is not a strategy but a tactic.

Most importantly, a digital marketing strategy must be compatible and integrated with the original and overall marketing and business plans.

The structure of the digital strategy has not been clearly defined, but there are several elements that it must have. Ozuem W. and Wilson G. mention in their work: "This should include (but not be exclusive to); setting digital goals or objectives; analysing the situation; knowing one's customer; setting the strategy and tactics by which to execute it and having a control mechanism for evaluating performance.".

How to create a digital strategy

There are tree steps to create digital strategy:

• Choose the target market segments. Specify the digital targeting method.
• Specify your online value proposition (review of the business, brand positioning, revenue model and integration with traditional channels).
• Review the marketing mix to learn more about the 4Ps (Product, Price, Promotion and Place).

Type of digital marketing strategies

Look at five of the most important digital marketing strategies for companies today:

1. Search engine optimization (SEO) - is the process of improving your website so that will increase the organic traffic of a website. Thanks to the keywords more people (who are looking for products) visit your website.
2. Pay-per-click (PPC) - is a method of driving traffic to a website by paying every time advertising as is clicked. Thanks to that your website are on the top of search results.
3. Content marketing - This strategy generates brand awareness, increase the number of customers.
4. Email marketing - is sending promotional campaigns directly to the client to keep in touch, inform about promotions and events.
5. Social media marketing - is to run social networks to attract new customers.

Examples of Digital marketing strategy

1. Content Marketing: Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. Examples include blogging, creating videos, creating ebooks, hosting webinars, and creating infographics.
2. Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing is the process of creating content that is tailored to the context of each individual social media platform in order to drive user engagement and sharing. Examples include creating and sharing content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and TikTok.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is the process of optimizing web content in order to increase its visibility in search engine results pages. Examples include optimizing page titles, meta descriptions, and page content to include target keywords.
4. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: PPC advertising is a form of digital advertising that involves paying for ads that appear in search engine results pages. Examples include Google Ads and Bing Ads.
5. Email Marketing: Email marketing is a form of digital marketing that involves sending emails to customers in order to build relationships and promote products and services. Examples include sending newsletters, promotional emails, and automated emails.

Advantages of Digital marketing strategy

Digital marketing is an effective way for businesses to reach their target audiences and achieve their goals. The following are some of the key advantages of having a digital marketing strategy:

• Increased Reach: Digital marketing allows businesses to reach a much larger and more global audience than traditional marketing methods. By using digital channels such as websites, social media, email and search engines, businesses can reach audiences they may not have been able to access before.
• Cost-Effective: Digital marketing is much more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods, as it does not require a large budget for campaigns. Digital marketing also allows businesses to track and measure their results much more quickly and accurately than traditional marketing methods.
• Increased Engagement: Digital marketing allows businesses to engage with their target audiences in a much more interactive and personal way. Through social media, email marketing, and other digital channels, businesses can have real-time conversations with customers and gain valuable insights.
• Improved Conversion Rates: Digital marketing can help businesses convert more leads into customers with targeted campaigns and strategies. By providing relevant content and engaging customers at the right time with the right message, businesses can increase their conversion rates and maximize their return on investment.

Limitations of Digital marketing strategy

Digital marketing strategies have numerous advantages, however, they are not without their limitations. Some of the most common limitations of digital marketing include:

• Reach - Digital media can be limited in terms of reach, as not everyone has access to the internet or owns a smartphone. This means that certain demographics may be excluded from your target audience.
• Cost - Digital marketing can be expensive, depending on the platforms and strategies used. For example, the cost of running social media ads can add up quickly.
• Time - Digital marketing efforts can take a long time to build up and generate results. It is important to be patient and persistent when executing a digital marketing strategy.
• Data Security - Digital marketing relies heavily on the collection and use of customer data, which can raise concerns about data security and privacy. Companies need to ensure that their data collection and usage practices comply with relevant regulations.
• Technical Challenges - With digital marketing, companies need to be prepared to troubleshoot any technical issues that may arise, such as website crashes or slow loading times.

Other approaches related to Digital marketing strategy

To complement a digital marketing strategy, there are several other approaches that should be considered. These include:

• Social Media Marketing - This is the process of creating content that is tailored to a specific audience, then promoting it across social media channels. It is an effective way to reach a large audience, engage with customers, and build brand loyalty.
• Content Marketing - Content marketing is a form of marketing focused on creating and sharing content in order to attract, engage, and retain customers. Content can include blogs, videos, e-books, whitepapers, and other forms of digital media.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - This is the practice of optimizing a website for better visibility in search engine results. It involves using techniques like keyword research, link building, and content optimization to improve a website's ranking on search engine results pages.
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising - PPC is a form of online advertising where advertisers pay for each click on their ads. It is a great way to drive targeted traffic to a website quickly and at a low cost.
• Email Marketing - This is the process of sending email messages to potential and existing customers in order to build relationships and promote products or services.

In summary, digital marketing strategies should be complemented with other approaches, such as social media marketing, content marketing, SEO, PPC advertising, and email marketing, in order to maximize their effectiveness.

Footnotes

Digital marketing strategy — recommended articles

Digital media marketing — Social media optimization — Public relations in marketing — B2B social media marketing — Areas of marketing — Advertising plan — Advantages of online advertising — Social media marketing — Social network marketing strategy

References

• Chaffey D., Bosomworth D. (2015), Digital Marketing strategy planning template
• Hanlon A. (2019), Digital Marketing: Strategic Planning & Integration, SAGE, London
• Kavoura A, Kefallonitis E., Giovanis A (2018) Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism, Springer
• Kingsnorth S. (2019), Digital Marketing Strategy: An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing, Kogan Page Publishers, London
• Mankad D.J. (2019), Understanding Digital Marketing: Strategies for online success, BPB Publications, Mumbai
• Ozuem W., Wilson G. (2016), Competitive Social Media Marketing Strategies, Business Science Reference, Hershey
• Patrutiu Baltes L. (2015), Content marketing - the fundamental tool of digital marketing, Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series V: Economic Sciences, Vol. 8 (57) No. 2

Author: Justyna Siudy