What is the meaning of digital marketing ? The definition of digital marketing is an effort in marketing products, services or services. However, the difference is the medium.
Digital marketing is marketing done via the internet or online media . When compared to conventional or traditional marketing techniques, currently digital marketing methods are more in demand. The digital marketing method has a fairly high return on investment or ROI.
By incurring low costs, marketing can produce satisfactory results. The digital marketing strategy also has the goal of increasing visibility, ease of access to customers and prospects, and the level of exposure. Another added value of this marketing strategy is the ease of use.
The flexibility of interaction that occurs between potential customers or customers and the company is also an added value.
Definition of Digital Marketing
Heidrick and Struggles (2009)
The definition of digital marketing according to Heidrick and Struggles is a matter that uses the digital world in advertising. The activities carried out are not touting directly. However, it still has a very influential effect.
Kleindl and Burrow (2005)
According to Kleindl and Burrow, the notion of digital marketing is a planning and implementation process. The process comes from the idea, concept, price, promotion to distribution. If simplified, digital marketing can be interpreted as an activity of building and maintaining relationships.
These activities have elements of mutual benefit. The beneficiaries are consumers and producers.
Coviello, Miley and Marcolin (2001)
The definition of digital marketing according to Coviello, Milley and Marcolin tends to be more specific. They say that digital marketing is the use of the internet. Digital marketing is another use of interactive technology in creating and engaging communications. The communication in question is what occurs between specific consumers and companies.
American Marketing Association
The definition of digital marketing mentioned by the Uncle Sam Country Marketing Association says that digital marketing is an activity, institution, and a process facilitated by digital technology. The point is to create, inform and add value to consumers and other stakeholders.
Chaffey (2009)
Chaffey provides a simple understanding of digital marketing . Digital marketing is an activity carried out to achieve the goals of marketing. In achieving its goals, marketing will be assisted by digital technology.
Digital marketing is a use of technology. The goal is to help marketing activities. In order to increase the knowledge of customers, by adjusting what they need.
Advantages of Digital Marketing
1. Cost-effective
The first advantage is more cost-effective. Marketing that is done digitally will be cheaper, compared to marketing that is done conventionally. At the beginning of the branding process , it may indeed require a large fee.
However, after being branded and target consumers have started to be achieved, the marketing costs will be less.
2. Does not require a lot of sales HR
One of the biggest sources of company expenditure in conventional marketing is the salary or wages of its HR. However, this is not a problem for digital marketing .
The application of digital marketing will make the company spend less on HR wages. No more need to pay a lot of people to run promotions on a mobile basis. Simply by spreading promotional content in various media.
3. The marketing team does not go into the field
The advantages of doing digital marketing are actually still related to the previous point. Digital marketing is a strategy that will make the team not need to leave the office or home in looking for potential customers and consumers.
Digital marketing will make it unnecessary for the marketing team to go directly into the field or the community. They just have to deal with their laptop or phone and take advantage of the internet. Thus, this becomes a very profitable advantage.
4. The product or service branding process is easier
The next advantage is the ease in the product or service branding process . One of the biggest drawbacks of conventional marketing is reach. Promotional reach to be achieved is often very limited.
In the conventional marketing strategy, companies need to spend more money to do branding to consumers on a large scale. This is inversely proportional to digital marketing .
With just one upload or message, it can reach many consumers. Its reach can reach outside the city, within Indonesia and even internationally.
5. Good growth potential
The fifth advantage is related to its potential. The use of digital marketing will create good business growth potential. Especially in terms of sales.
There are many examples of successful and thriving businesses today. In just a few months, these businesses can grow and develop. With digital marketing , a company doesn’t need to wait 10 to 20 years to become the ruler of the industry.
6. Fast deployment
Marketing strategies that use digital media can be done very quickly. In fact, the speed in seconds. In addition, DM can be measured precisely and in real time .
7. Easy to evaluate
The use of digital media will make direct marketing activities known. Some important information is also easily obtained. Like how many consumers saw the promotion, how long did the product watch by the consumer, what percentage of conversions from sales from each advertisement, and so on.
After knowing this information, then an evaluation can be carried out. Evaluation is something that needs to be done. With evaluation, the company can always review better and at the same time correct if an error occurs.
Types of Digital Marketing
1. Online sites
The existence of an online site can prove the existence of a business. Not only that, potential customers also tend to be able to judge the feasibility and legitimacy of a business. This can be seen from the quality of the site owned by the business
The first impression of potential customers will be obtained from browsing business sites. Online sites can also be used as a tool for marketing teams. They can convince potential buyers about the products and services offered by the business.
2. SEO or Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization or SEO is an effort to increase the likelihood that business links will appear on the page and rank high on the Google search engine. Thus, the possibility of the business site being opened by potential customers is greater.
SEO can be done organically. The point is to insert a keyword or keywords that are relevant to the article on the business site. These keywords will later become visible step sites in search engines.
3. PPC or Pay-per-Click
This PPC method is a pay per click method. This will ensure a business site is superior among other sites. Of course with the same keywords in the search.
One example of this service provider is Google Ads.
However, there are already many social media that provide this PPC service. Such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. The service is provided as a business marketing tool that can be considered.
4. Social media
The majority of social media that exist today do not require a fee in the registration process. This is an additional advantage for a company in developing its business. The ease of creating an account will support the digital marketing process .
The thing to remember is that the publication of a product must also be supported by a large number of social media followers. However, the results received will be comparable when the product gains popularity.
The thing that must be prepared periodically is related to the material. Prepare interesting material. This will help increase engagement between followers and the business.
5. Online videos
Digital marketing can also be done by marketing products in the form of videos. Interesting, informative and quality videos will be effective media. Submission to prospective customers will be easier.
If the delivery is done well, convincing potential customers can be done. The product video must contain the things that make the product or service superior and must be immediately used by potential customers. The video can also be broadcast on several social media, especially online video platforms such as YouTube.
Related metadata and keywords can also be embedded in the video. It is also one of the SEO strategies that can be applied to online videos .
6. Affiliate or online advertising
Marketing done with affiliates will take advantage of a partner’s popularity. The point is to improve products, services and business marketing. Posting articles, videos or advertisements is an effective method of increasing exposure to a business.
This applies to social media, sites, blogs and so on. Affiliate partners will usually also get a fee. The fee comes from every referral given to the customer
7. Marketing through messages
Marketing through messages can be done on SMS, email, and applications such as WhatsApp. Although it is not rarely done, digital marketing is often considered intrusive by recipients. Especially if the message is considered disturbing.
The recipients do not hesitate to block the sender of the message. Not only that, the recipient can also automate the transfer of the shipment to the Trash or Spam section .
Therefore, the main task of the user of this method is to ensure that the material sent has benefits for the recipient. One way to mitigate this intrusion is to provide a subscription option. Either for free or pay to the target recipient of the message.
How to Start Digital Marketing
Friend, are you interested in trying it? To start marketing through digital media, there are a number of things that must be prepared. Including the following:
1. Setting up tools
The first way to start digital marketing is to set up tools. Prepare tools that can be used in marketing activities. There are several tools that can be used in digital marketing .
Examples include blog uploads , social media accounts, websites or websites , brand identity and a product, online footprints such as feedback , reviews and so on.
In the world of digital marketing , this tool is an asset. These assets are very useful for business life in digital media. Therefore, it is important to take care of all these things properly.
2. Prepare the content
The second way that can be done is to prepare content. Prepare content as interesting and as good as possible. The content created must be attention-grabbing and shareable .
There are various kinds of content that you can create. Starting from writing, photos, videos and so on. In addition, determine marketing goals and target market. It is also important in content creation.
3. Start uploading
The next step is to start uploading. When you’ve finished uploading, don’t forget to pay attention to every movement of the content that you make. Next, do an evaluation on the upload tab.
Determine which content provides feedback . Then focus on that content. Bale it will be good for your business.
4. Login and join forums
This last stage is no less important. When all the previous points have been done, then enter and join a public marketplace forum .
Try to make the business proful that you make good and as attractive as possible. This will affect the brand image of your business.