Though the list of digital marketing strategies is also constantly evolving, these are some of the most common and effective strategies that businesses are using:
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a broad term that covers any online marketing where the advertising business pays for each time a user clicks on an ad.
For example, Google AdWords is a form of PPC advertising called “paid search advertising.” Facebook Ads are another form of PPC advertising called “paid social media advertising.”
Paid search advertising is one of the best ways to target potential customers actively searching for a product or service like yours. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo allow you to run ads on their Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
According to Google, 91% of users are searching from their mobile devices. All of your PPC and paid search advertising campaigns should be optimized for mobile so your business isn’t missing out on all of those clicks and potential customers.
If you’re missing the mark on this, you need to revamp your digital marketing strategy ASAP.
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Paid Social Media Advertising
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Snapchat allow users to pay for digital media marketing ads on their sites.
Paid social media advertising is great for building awareness with audiences who might not know that your business, product, or service exists.
Search Engine Optimization, commonly known as SEO, is the technique used by digital media marketing professionals to get pages and blog posts to rank organically on the Search Engine Result Page (SERPs).
It takes more skill and know-how to get on the front page of Google (or any other search engine) with SEO than with paid search advertising, and it can be time-consuming but it is more rewarding.
Like SEO, social media marketing is the free, organic way to use platforms like Facebook or Twitter to market your business through digital means.
Unfortunately, organically marketing your business on social media takes more time and effort than paid advertising. Still, it can be very effective when you’re operating on a tighter budget.
Social media marketing is one of the best digital marketing strategies you can use, even if you don’t pay for it.
Content marketing is another broad digital marketing term. Content marketing covers any digital marketing effort that uses content assets (blog posts, infographics, eBooks, videos, etc.) to build brand awareness or drive clicks, leads, or sales.
Most importantly, when you combine these elements the right way, you develop a clear online marketing strategy for your business.
Have you ever noticed that at the bottom of an article you’re reading, there is often a list of suggested articles? That’s native advertising. Most of it falls under content marketing because it uses content to attract clicks (“You’ll never believe what happens next!”).
Often, it can be difficult to spot because it is usually mixed in with non-paid content recommendations. Of course, that’s kind of the point.
Email marketing is the oldest form of online marketing, and it’s still going strong. Most digital marketers use it for advertising special deals, highlighting content, or promoting an event.
It offers opportunities to reach users who may not be on many of the more popular platforms, like social media.
You use affiliate marketing to pay someone else — a person or a business — to promote your products and services on their website.
There are many ways to market your business online, which is why many companies outsource their online marketing efforts or pay for an in-house team and automation software to cover their marketing needs.
This is one area where spending a little money can definitely improve your return on investment (ROI).