What is Digital Marketing? An Introduction for Small Businesses

What even is digital marketing? If you are secretly (or not so secretly) confused and intimidated by the digital marketing world, don’t worry - we’ve got you covered. In this post, we will go over the basics of digital marketing and how it can transform your small business. 

What is Digital Marketing?

Simply put, digital marketing uses digital platforms such as websites, apps, social media, etc. to promote your business. If you think about marketing campaigns of yore such as print ads in newspapers or posters plastered on walls, digital marketing essentially takes the same principles but applies them to the digital age. 

Digital marketing can completely transform the bottom line of a small business. First and foremost, digital marketing expands your customer base. By increasing the exposure of your small business, you attract new customers that you never would have been able to reach otherwise. Furthermore, because the internet is 24/7, your marketing campaigns can be working for you while you sleep. They run in the background, generating leads, while you focus on other areas of your business. Finally, most digital marketing campaigns are quite cost-effective. You can increase your online presence by investing nothing but time which is very important when your business is just beginning. 

Success in marketing requires a combination of advertising, sales, and tech skills. Some businesses choose to delegate the tasks of maintaining a digital marketing campaign to internal employees while others prefer to collaborate externally with marketing firms who specialize in converting clicks to clients such as Space Bison Marketing. 

Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Strategy 

When planning a digital marketing campaign, it’s important to choose the channels that best fit your target audience, budget, and business goals. Below are four of the most common digital marketing channels used by businesses:

Website Marketing
Businesses often center their marketing efforts around their own website. This can be beneficial because business websites are comprehensive and are very representative of the business itself. Additionally, the landing pages that connect potential customers to sales teams are typically very accessible. However, for this type of marketing to work, search engine optimization (SEO) is of the utmost importance. This requires the website to be fast-loading, easy to navigate, mobile friendly, and include the important keywords necessary to make for an accessible and enjoyable customer experience.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

As the name suggests, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising accesses potential customers through the use of paid ads. Businesses can set up PPC campaigns through various digital platforms such as Google, Bing, Linkedin, X (Twitter), Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, etc. This allows businesses to reach a far broader audience than they typically would. These campaigns also allow you to target a specific audience through the use of key demographics. While PPC does come with a cost, a well-targeted campaign can deliver an excellent return on investment by boosting sales. 

Email Marketing

One of the oldest and yet still one of the most effective digital marketing channels is email marketing. Yes, the “You’ve Got Mail” type of marketing campaign can still be quite effective despite the abundance of spam and junk filters. Used appropriately, email marketing is great at converting leads into customers. Often, businesses collect email addresses through other digital marketing channels and then follow up with targeted email campaigns. Once potential customers are familiar with your business, a well-crafted email can help close the sale.

Social Media Marketing

The point of marketing in general is to increase the public’s awareness of your business. Social media is a fantastic way to build brand awareness and establish trust with your audience. It allows your business to appear more approachable and accessible. Social media marketing can be used to generate leads or direct traffic to your website, all while helping to humanize your brand.

The Bottom Line

Digital marketing is a powerful tool to grow your business. With endless options and limitless potential, you can take your time to find the strategies that work best for you. So, don’t stress—just post!