Digital marketing is a bit of a broad term. It refers to a whole group of strategies, all of which take place online (thus the name “digital”). Search engine optimization, website creation, blog writing, landing page development, Google AdWords campaigning, social media marketing, and more all fall under the umbrella of digital marketing.
So when you decide to adopt digital marketing for your own business, how do you decide which strategy to use? The secret, in fact, is not to choose just one. Instead, effective digital marketing requires a multi-channel approach. That means you need to use a variety of techniques to develop a campaign that gives you the results you want.
Why is multi-channel digital marketing the best approach to your online marketing campaign? Here are just a few of the reasons that more really is better when establishing your online presence.
Digital marketing strategies work better together.
Can digital marketing strategies work individually? Absolutely. A musical instrument can play a masterpiece without any additional musical accompaniment. And a search engine optimization campaign can drive more qualified leads to your website, even if you don't use any other approaches.
However, just like an orchestra can take that same masterpiece and elevate it to next-level beauty, so can a multi-channel approach to digital marketing help you develop a beautiful (and profitable) digital marketing campaign.
For example, search engine optimization can earn you visibility and leads in the search results. However, that can take some time. A Google AdWords campaign, on the other hand, can start getting you results right away.
By combining the two approaches, you get your business in both the ads and the organic search results. You also get results quickly while enjoying responsiveness from organic results later on. And, as icing on the cake, you get to test out the best keywords in your Google AdWords campaign and then use them in your SEO efforts. Combining the two marketing channels, then, means a more effective digital marketing campaign overall.
There are lots of ways to combine digital marketing strategies for a more effective campaign. You can use landing pages to ratchet up the appeal of your Google Ads campaign. You can develop a website that makes it easier to rank well in the search results. You can set up social media buttons on your website.
When you allow your digital marketing strategies to work together, you allow them to support each other in a way that earns you lots more website traffic, leads, and conversions than you would have had otherwise.
Consumers want to use multiple channels.
Another reason to use multi-channel marketing is because consumers prefer it that way. More specifically, consumers are using multiple channels on their way to a conversion.
On average, they use about 3 channels per conversion. This means that they might view an offer through an email, visit the website to learn more about your company, and finally click through a search link to buy an item.
Alternatively, they may see a Google ad about your business and then hear about you through social media. Curiosity piqued, they visit your site to learn more but only make a purchase later that day on their smartphones when they remember that they need your products or services.
If you do not make your business available on multiple channels, you might lose out on the chance to catch customers where they prefer to engage with you.
For example, what would have happened if they hadn't seen you show up in social media? Would they have thought to look you up online? What if they hadn't seen a Google ad about your business? Would SEO alone have gotten your website in front of them at that particular moment?
By adopting multiple approaches, you keep your business available and top-of-mind whenever potential customers want to learn more.
Multi-channel digital marketing builds brand awareness.
It may go without saying, but the more familiar people are with your brand, the more likely they are to buy from you when they need the products and services you offer. For example, if you need home improvement supplies, are you more likely to go to a business you've never interacted with, or are you more likely to hit up tried and true Home Depot?
You want to be Home Depot among your target audience. That means you need to be seen. And that means you need a multi-channel approach to your digital marketing campaign.
With a multi-channel approach, you have the opportunity to make your business stick in people's minds. If they see you in the search results and in their Google ads and in their social media feeds, they are more likely to think of you as a business that can meet their needs.
Multi-channel digital marketing allows you to reach all of your target audiences.
In addition, a multi-channel digital marketing strategy allows you to reach all of your target audiences. Chances are that you will be reaching groups of people who might frequent different online channels.
For example, one group might prefer to interact over Facebook. A slightly older group, however, might prefer email. By using both channels, your digital marketing strategy reaches both groups effectively.
A multi-channel digital marketing strategy gives you lots of advantages when it comes to earning leads and customers.
If you want to capture these benefits for your business, reach out to Distinct Web Design. We can help you craft a digital marketing campaign that uses all the channels you need to be effective and appealing to your target audiences.
