What Is Digital Marketing and How Is It Important?
When a new business get started, the main focus is often on how to get the first customers through the door. They may rely on traditional forms of advertising, such as print ads, coupon mailers or even outdoor advertising. Businesses may believe that since they offer a good product or service, it’s just a matter of time until customers find their way to them.
While this strategy may bring in a trickle of business, there is a better and easier way. Small businesses should consider the global marketplace of prospects online and benefit from converging their traditional and digital marketing. No small business, no matter how new, should overlook digital channels as a way to generate leads and convert interest into customers.
There is no way your business can grow with only friends and family because there are millions of people who would need your business. The challenge is, how do you find the potential customers and offer them your products or services. With the correct digital marketing strategy, your business will be targeted in front of the right audience.
What Is Digital Marketing?
Like any other marketing, digital marketing is a technique to engage with and influence your potential customers. Internet usage has doubled in the last decade, causing a significant shift in how people buy things and engage with businesses. The significant difference is that you can communicate with those clients over the internet with no boundaries.simply online marketing where your brand is promoted using the internet and digital communication. It employs the internet and electronic devices to connect with your potential customers.
Digital marketing refers to online marketing where your brand is promoted using the internet and digital communication. It employs the internet and electronic devices to connect with your potential customers.
Prospective customers and clients also make extensive use of internet searches when purchasing products and using services, and in many cases the actual purchase or contract is completed online.
Of course, inside sales and marketing activities have not become unnecessary. However, even in this case, the use of the internet and information technologies, such as customer information management and continuous approaches, can easily lead to more efficient results.
As more and more information is being gathered by individuals and companies, especially via the internet, digital marketing is becoming increasingly important for expanding awareness, acquiring customers and ultimately generating revenue. In fact, research shows that 92% of BtoB buyers start their initial information gathering with an online search.
Differences from web marketing
Web marketing is often confused with digital marketing. As the diagram shows, in the larger scheme of things, web marketing is part of digital marketing.
Web marketing includes advertising, SEO and social networking, and is essentially a marketing technique that is centred on websites. The ultimate aim is to attract users to a website and to analyse the trends of users visiting a website. This helps to find out what information users are looking for and aims to increase profits by improving the website.
In contrast, digital marketing looks at user trends outside of the website. For example, information on the usage history of apps, video viewing history, IoT product usage, as well as information from events and other real-life situations is collected and analysed by systems and other means.
Benefits of Digital Marketing?
- The ability to interact with your prospects and learn exactly what they are looking for i.e. get to know your customers better!
- The ability to reach out to anyone and anywhere as there are no geographical boundaries with digital
- Target the right audience at the right time - personalization is simpler with digital marketing
- Communicate with your prospects at every stage of the buying process
- Save money and reach more customers for less
- Get to know your audience and drive engagement to create brand loyalty. Get some inspiration from the power of customer loyalty schemes.
- Track and monitor responses to your marketing efforts easily and instantly
Be Accessible to Your Customers
As we already discussed, your business needs to be present where your customers and that’s online. Whatever product or service a person looks for, they will most likely start their search with Google. If you have no online presence, then you won’t be found, and you can’t compete.
If you have an online presence but your competitors are easier to find as they rank higher in search, you still might not be found. Along with creating a website, learning what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is and why it’s important will help you outrank competitors by being the first name that a prospect finds on a Google search.
Keywords are crucial in making this happen so make sure you understand the best keywords (long-tail and short-tail) for your business. You should also include simple questions prospects may want quick answers to, such as where you are located, your opening hours, and details of your product or service. By looking at your website and competitors’ websites side by side, your prospects should be able to compare hours, prices, special offers and more to make the best decision for them.
Is there demand for digital marketing in Malaysia?
Digital and social media specialists are the most in-demand in the marketing sector as the rate of technology adoption in Malaysia steadily increasing, according to Malaysian Statistics Bureau. In 2022, Malaysia is found to be one of the countries with the highest internet penetration rate in Asia, reaching to almost 96.8％. With this large number, it’s no surprise that the digital marketing industry in Malaysia continues to flourish.