In 2006, I traveled with my mum to Lagos state Nigeria. During one of our outings, we had to board the long yellow bus popularly known as “Molue” to Oshodi, prior to that I had heard of stories where traders board the bus with the motive of marketing their product. It was my first encounter that day and I was amazed with the way the man spoke so eloquently about his herbal medicine and how it can cure all kinds of aliment, when he was done with his speech, people rushed his product and it finished within few minutes. That is a form of marketing!
Marketing comes in various forms and it has been existing since the creation of man. People have goods, products and services that are intended to be sold. In order to make enough sales, different methods of advertisement are used such as singing, bells etc. later on, there were posters, billboard and pamphlets. As the world evolved and electrical equipment were produced the world moved adverts to television, radio and films in order to convey persuasive message to their target audience.
Digital marketing which is our focus became necessary as a result of the increased use of digital technology and the internet, with millions of youths online it is necessary for brands to have a social media presence. Digital marketing is a component of marketing that makes use of the internet and digital technology such as mobile phones, computers and every other form of digital technology.
Marketing has always been about connecting with one’s client and giving them what they want, it refers to the activities that promote the buying and selling of a product, good or service. Using digital marketing, you can reach an enormous audience in a fast and cost-effective way especially if your target audience is youths. Digital marketing allows you to interact with your audience using different feedback channels unlike the traditional mode of advertising products which can help you improve on your brand.
The main difference between digital marketing and tradition marketing is the medium it uses to convey messages. Digital marketing makes use of online website, social media or emails; it also allows brands grow their online presence and followers while traditional marketing makes use of television, radio or film. Digital marketing allows brands to interact with their clients through the feedback channel.
With the very competitive market big brands have created, small businesses find it very easy to reach clients through the internet and social media, a lot of small scale business have risen to stardom by using the right digital marketing tool to advertise. Digital marketing comes in different forms such as:
Social media marketing:
This is to share your product or service on different social media platforms like facebook, twitter, instagram.You engage your clients as friends and followers. Social media marketing has created a new job online where people with large following and engagement are used by brands to market their products. Such people either get commission or are paid huge sum to carry out the work.
Search engine optimization:
The goal of this marketing tool is to get increased traffic to the website of the brand, businesses aim to rank high in Google search. Here, business owners use keywords they know their clients will likely use in searching for them. When a relevant search term is used, Google will return to your site as the result.
Content marketing:
This style of marketing creates valuable and creative content that enriches their customer service. It is promoting your brand without the aim of selling anything behind your post, it is simply providing information. The brands posts videos, pictures and images that relate with the product and service they offer.
Email marketing:
It is a form of direct marketing which sends information, offers and newsletters to their mailing list.
Other types of digital marketing are affiliate marketing, mobile advert, online radio marketing etc.
Digital marketing comes with its own challenges, as a result of the changing trends as well as the giants’ brands, small scale businesses face a lot of challenges in the digital world. One of the challenges is generating traffic; it refers to the overall number of people that visit your page or website. You can overcome this by posting the right content, attractive pictures and clear videos that are pleasing to the eye.
Another challenge is becoming a video and picture expert, startups need to learn to be creative, think out of the box when it comes to content promotion. They should also determine the best online marketing tool for promoting their product. This can be done by carrying out research and engaging the clients in conversation.
About the Author
