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Especially if you are new to the concept, digital marketing can seem intimidating. You might have heard about its benefits, but what should you actually expect from a digital marketing program?
How can it truly help your business generate more leads and customers, improving your bottom line?
Answering these questions is vital to finding the right solution for your needs. Businesses across industries are increasing their digital marketing budgets, so naturally, countless platforms will vie for your business as soon as you indicate that you might need help in the online space. To help you find the best option for your needs, here are 5 things you can expect from a digital marketing program.
1) Access and Transparency
One of the biggest advantages of digital marketing is its transparency. Rather than placing an expensive billboard, radio spot, or print ad with little idea of how your audience will actually react, you can track the tangible results of each of your individual tactics and efforts.
Of course, you need a marketing program that actually helps you in your tracking. That means a central dashboards, as well as comprehensive analytics tools that allows you to see and evaluate your results in real time.
2) Agility
Theoretically, making changes and updates to your marketing message in the digital world is far easier and faster than through traditional marketing channels. Print, TV, and radio often require long lead times as well as a number of key players, turning your marketing into a linear process with little rooms for adjustments once it has kicked off.
On the other hand, you can (and should) expect your digital marketing program to be more agile. You can change your message and target audience quickly based on the data you have gathered thanks to step one. Generally speaking, your digital marketing plans should span no further than 3 months, allowing you to be agile and easily adapt to what your data dictates.
3) Content strategy
Content and inbound marketing is designed to take your marketing efforts from promotional to valuable. The best digital marketing programs try to answer your audience's questions, and address their pain points.
That focus should influence your search for a digital marketing agency. Ask anyone looking to partner with you where they plan on taking your content strategy. If you like it, it's likely your prospects will too.
4) Lead generation
What purpose does your website serve? In 2017 and beyond, it should be far more than a simple online billboard. Instead, it needs to be the digital hub of your marketing efforts, providing your audience with a natural path toward becoming customers. In other words, it needs to provide the basis for generating leads.
More specifically, a great digital marketing solution should be generating leads at a minimum of 2 percent. In other words, if 1,000 people visit your site in a month, then you should at least see 20 leads every month.
5) Valuable Information
At its best, digital marketing can inform other parts of your business. Through your analytics, you can gain a better understanding of the audience you are looking to attract for your products or service. And thanks to its agility, you can use it to test larger initiatives.
For instance, consider testing your copy and visuals online through A/B testing before producing a more significant radio or TV ad. A digital marketing program that helps you test and adjust your message quickly can ultimately improve all of your messaging across platforms, potentially saving you thousands as a result.
