The importance of familiarizing yourself with digital marketing has never been more significant than it is today. In fact, the Global Digital Outlook Study for 2017/2018 found that 43% of worldwide marketers are increasing their investment in online marketing. Almost half of these marketers are already spending 50% or more of their marketing budget on the digital frontier. Since much of this brave new marketing world is uncertain, many people will need a simple way to explain it. One way to take some of the mystery out of online marketing is by comparing it to traditional marketing concepts. This can be very helpful when choosing a digital marketing firm. These are those concepts and how they apply today.
- BillboardsMuch has changed in marketing, but perhaps the easiest way to recognize some similarities is by looking at a billboard, then looking at banner ads. They are exactly the same, save for one being written in pixels and the other in ink. Online banner ads, like billboards, also cost more in certain locations. If you want to place a big billboard with your brand in Times Square it will cost your company an arm and a leg. Just the same for landing an ad on the New York Times website. If you want a billboard in a town outside of a small suburb in southern Alabama, you will pay proportionally less, like you would when placing a banner ad in a much lesser known online publication.
- Mail BrochuresMany people still get pamphlets in the mail for local restaurants, department stores, and holiday deals. The same exact thing happens online, but using email instead of physical mail. Websites ask potential customers to sign up for their mailing list, which they then use to send offers and discounts. This is to help cultivate a following and brand loyalty.
- Critical ReviewsWhile the internet has certainly decentralized the product and media reviewing process, marketers still use it to their advantage. Reviews used to be done by paid food, music, movie, or product reviewers. They controlled who believed what about a product being sold. Now, the power is back in the hands of the masses. While once the critics controlled the review industry in a transparent way, their dominion has now been relegated to the dark corners of the internet. That said, online reviews and the critics of old share much in common.
If you are in the process of choosing a digital marketing firm and feel a bit overwhelmed by all the new terminology and concepts, don’t worry, it is mostly the same concepts as before, but they’ve been adapted to fit a new platform. Use similar criteria as you have in the past when choosing a digital marketing firm today. Trust, versatility, professionalism, and knowledge are all important to help your marketing campaign succeed. Whether you need web design services, social media marketing, or anything in between, call today and get your name out there.