The digital era we inhabit today has witnessed an extraordinary revolution in the manner in which brands forge connections with their consumers. This transformative shift has been propelled by the swift progress and widespread embrace of technology. As brands increasingly acknowledge the outstanding efficacy of digital strategies, they are departing from conventional marketing approaches that were once effective in the past.
According to Statista, digital marketing spendings in 2023 have doubled that of five years ago at close to $680 billion. In today's highly competitive marketplace, characterised by the accelerated pace of digitisation, it is crucial for businesses of all sizes to establish a strong digital presence and allocate sufficient resources and attention to its continuous development. Failure to adapt and harness the potential of digital marketing may result in businesses being left behind in an increasingly digital-centric world.
According to Statista's estimations, the number of Internet users globally stands at approximately 5.18 billion as of April 2023. This presents the extensive reach of the Internet which offers numerous opportunities to engage with potential customers. By leveraging digital marketing, businesses can engage with their target customers, cultivate relationships, and successfully achieve their objectives in a dynamic and competitive global landscape.
Why Digital Marketing Is Not Just Social Media
Digital marketing, the strategic utilisation of digital channels, goes hand in hand with developing a robust digital presence. Some businesses might think that creating social media accounts and posting content might be sufficient, however digital marketing entails much more than that.
Digital marketing encompasses a diverse array of tactics, including but not limited to search engine optimisation (SEO), social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing. When skilfully designed and implemented, these strategies empower businesses to establish a seamless sales funnel. This entails enhancing online visibility, generating leads, driving website traffic towards compelling calls-to-action, and ultimately converting and retaining customers as loyal brand advocates.
For individuals seeking to master the art of digital marketing, check out our Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing. This comprehensive programme equips participants with essential tools and knowledge to establish a strong presence across various digital channels. Moreover, the programme dives deeper into the challenges faced in today's digital marketing landscape, such as combating low attention spans and navigating information overload.
Not Just About Content, but the Audience
Before embarking on content creation and campaign development, it is key to consider the target audience. Whether it is creating a banner ad, writing a blog article or crafting a social media post, it’s important to identify your target audience. Attempting to target "everyone" is neither wise nor feasible. To harness the full potential of digital marketing effectively, businesses must understand their target audience's preferences, behaviours, and online habits, to ensure maximum effectiveness in reaching and engaging the intended target audience.
The Use of Video Content in Your Digital Marketing Strategies
As the digital landscape continues to advance rapidly, people have experienced a significant transformation in how they consume data online. Notably, there has been a remarkable surge in video consumption across diverse online platforms. By leveraging social media channels for video content marketing marketers can better make an impact and drive engagement in this evolving digital era.
One of the key reasons why video content holds such significance in digital marketing is its unmatched ability to grab attention and convey messages effectively. According to a report by Cisco, video content is projected to account for 82% of global internet traffic by 2023, emphasising its dominance as a preferred medium for information consumption. With people having shorter attention spans and information overload today, the visual and auditory nature enables brands to deliver their messages in a more compelling and engaging manner.
Video content is an exceptional tool for creating meaningful brand engagements, as it has the ability to forge deeper emotional connections with audiences and enhance brand recall and engagement, both of which hold significant value in marketing. In fact, a Hubspot study reveals that 54% of consumers express a desire to see more video content from the brands they support. This growing demand has prompted businesses to respond by producing video content internally. In line with this trend, the same survey reports that 37% of businesses exclusively generate video content in-house, recognising the importance and impact of this medium.
Some people may find the process of video creation lengthy because it involves steps such as developing a video strategy, creating storyboards and, of course, filming and having to through pre and post-production techniques, the production. However, the outcome is often well worth the effort. According to G2 Crowd, video content shared on social media platforms generates 1,200% more shares than text and image posts combined.
To support this surge in demand, courses like SMU Academy’s Certificate in Video Content Mastery for Businesses go a long way in finding strategies to engage your audience, positioning one for creating compelling video content, along with understanding the different nuances of each major online platform and mastering video content distribution and optimising ROI.
In the realm of video content for social media, TikTok has established itself as the ultimate platform for achieving significant viewership and engagement. However, it has often been unjustly dismissed as a platform exclusively catering to a niche audience of youths and young adults. This perception couldn't be further from the truth. With its exponential growth and widespread popularity, TikTok has transcended its initial niche and become a mainstream platform. Featuring a vibrant mix of catchy tunes, viral trends, and bite-sized video content, this social media giant offers businesses a remarkable gateway to reach their target audience, both new and existing.
The immense reach of TikTok should not be overlooked by businesses. To navigate the opportunities presented by this platform, business owners can explore programmes such as Tiktok Marketing for Business Owners offered by SMU Academy. Participants gain expertise in analysing TikTok data and harnessing the platform as a search engine to uncover valuable insights. Additionally, the programme equips participants with strategies to create compelling ad content that resonates with their target audience.
Don’t Forget the Business Side
In today's interconnected business landscape, leveraging LinkedIn is crucial for businesses to enhance their digital marketing strategy. LinkedIn serves as a unique platform for professional networking, enabling businesses to connect with industry experts, potential clients, and partners, fostering valuable interactions and knowledge exchange.
Moreover, LinkedIn offers targeted advertising options, allowing businesses to reach specific audiences based on job titles, industries, and company size, making it especially advantageous for B2B companies. Additionally, tools like Sales Navigator facilitate lead generation, while the platform is widely used for recruitment and hiring purposes.
To strengthen your presence on LinkedIn, the LinkedIn Marketing for Businesses programme covers essential topics such as personal and business page branding, customising strategies aligned with your goals, and leveraging ads and campaigns to amplify online influence.
In conclusion, establishing a strong digital presence and leveraging digital marketing strategies is paramount in today's crowded marketplace. A robust online presence enables businesses to effectively connect with their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive customer engagement. By embracing digital marketing, businesses can leverage various tactics such as search engine optimisation (SEO), social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing to enhance their online visibility, generate high-quality leads, and cultivate customer loyalty.
In addition to the tangible benefits, digital marketing allows businesses to adapt to the changing preferences and behaviours of their audience. It provides the flexibility to reach customers through multiple channels and devices, catering to their unique needs and preferences. By continuously evolving and refining their digital marketing strategies, businesses can maximise their online impact, drive growth, and achieve long-term success in the digital landscape.
Boost your digital marketing strategies at SMU Academy to gain a significant edge over your competitors in business.
