While traditional marketing methods like radio and newspaper advertising can still be effective, they’re not sufficient in the digital society we have today. People expect businesses to have an online presence where they can at least research the company, if not make bookings and place orders. But this poses a challenge for businesses, which not only need to create a website that leaves a good impression, but also need to make it findable.
The latter isn’t easy when every similar company in your area, and potentially even your country, is trying to do the same. However, it’s not all bad news. When it’s done well, your business can get huge numbers of new customers. Digital marketing is the umbrella term for the tools and tactics that enable companies to create an online presence that reaches the right audience. Here’s a breakdown of how it helps businesses grow fast.
Expanding Market Reach
Billboards, print advertising, and other traditional marketing methods are only seen by people in particular geographic areas. This is fine for small, local businesses, but it doesn’t offer much potential for growth. Perhaps the largest benefit of digital marketing is that online campaigns can reach people almost anywhere in the world. This drastically expands your range of potential new customers, especially if you can export products or if you’re offering a service.
However, online marketing is still good even if you’re a local business. For example, it might enable you to persuade people in the next town over to switch to you. In terms of how you actually get your business in front of new people online, there are several options. Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your business appear in relevant search results, while paid ads help it appear on relevant websites. Social media can also be effective.
Enabling Growth Without Extensive Spending
Online marketing is a lot more cost-effective than traditional advertising methods. For example, the price of TV advertising spots could increase dramatically depending on audience figures and the amount of airtime needed. But pay-per-click (PPC), a popular form of digital advertising, only charges businesses when somebody actually clicks on their ad and goes through to their website. You’re not paying for all the people who will see the ad and ignore it.
Other low-cost options include social media accounts, which cost almost nothing to set up and can grow organically through consistent posting, and email campaigns. The latter allows you to get new products and deals directly in front of people who have already expressed their interest by signing up to your newsletter or ordering from your business. Low-cost methods like these can help even small businesses grow without overspending.
Precisely Targeting Customers
As we’ve just mentioned, email marketing is very effective because it is seen by people who have already shown interest in what you offer. This is one of the great strengths of digital marketing; you’re able to identify the people most likely to convert into paying customers and reach them specifically. For example, SEO and Google Ads help your business get seen by people who are actively searching for solutions.
Social media advertising, on the other hand, lets you target people based on their age range, geographic location, interests, and more. By creating an ad that appeals to them and leads them to a landing page on your website that convinces them to buy, you can gain a lot of new customers with minimal spending. But this poses the challenge of identifying your target audience and appealing to them. More on this next.
Outsourcing That Lets You Focus
The way most companies deal with the challenges posed above is by joining forces with a digital marketing agency. Agencies like King Kong give companies instant access to the expertise and tools they need to craft effective online campaigns that deliver a large return on investment. While there is a fee for their services, this is often minimal compared to the return a quality agency can deliver. It also saves companies a lot of trouble.
For instance, they don’t need to invest in expensive analytical software or employ experts on high salaries to handle their digital marketing needs. Instead, their time and capital can be focused on delivering great products and services. There is a large ecosystem of agencies to help businesses market themselves online. Some firms offer a full service and actively manage all types of campaigns, while others act as consultants or specialise in particular areas, like SEO.
Measurable Results and Analytics
Besides allowing businesses to reach a much wider audience, the other big advantage digital marketing offers over traditional methods is the ability to track and analyse performance. It could take weeks to learn if a TV advert is getting through to the right customers, but platforms like Google and Meta allow advertisers to log in anytime and see how their campaign is doing. An underperforming campaign can then be instantly adjusted.
The platforms supply real-time information about how many people see the ads, click, and ultimately buy something. They also allow companies to test several variations of their ads initially, so that they can figure out which works best. Then, the companies can cut spending and maximise their ROI by just running the best-performing ad. Data-driven approaches like this minimise wasted money and effort, ensuring that marketing efforts actually result in more business.
Conclusion
Digital marketing might be the greatest solution to business growth that has been invented so far. It offers unparalleled reach, hyper-specific audience targeting, and measurable results for instant feedback, all at low costs. This makes it a great opportunity for businesses of all sizes to grow quickly, from mom-and-pop shops to world-changing startups. And thanks to the large support network of digital agencies like King Kong, it’s easy to start benefiting.
Businesses that lack the in-house expertise to run a successful campaign can outsource their marketing needs entirely. This frees them up to focus on other important areas, like customer service. Ultimately, it’s worth getting started if you haven’t already. Even if you don’t want speedy growth, having an online presence no longer feels optional for serious businesses.
