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Whether you’re running a small company or a major corporation, marketing is a key factor in advertising your brand and creating brand awareness. Fortunately for many small business owners, online marketing has made this process much simpler.
Aside from the basics such as picking the perfect digital marketing logo for your campaign, continual marketing efforts are crucial to consistent success. Since most businesses have a digital footprint, it makes sense that their marketing happens there too. Digital marketing essentially involves using online platforms to promote your brand, product, and organization.
But, while this type of marketing can be a simple process to follow, it isn’t always plain sailing.
Three Sides to the Digital Marketing Experience
Unlike your average coin, the digital marketing experience has three sides to it, namely the good, bad, and ugly. Read on to discover how these three apply to the wonderful world of online marketing.
The Good
The good aspects are the features that originally draw companies to this type of marketing, the most common of these being efficiency and affordability. In some instances, a small business can get a certain amount of digital marketing for free by simply utilizing options such as Google’s local business pages.
This type of online marketing is not only free but also an excellent way to promote your brand and products within your local community. In general, online marketing is more affordable than investing in more traditional choices such as billboards, TV ads or even print media.
Digital marketing can also be done from a smartphone, laptop, or tablet from the comfort of your couch at any time of the day!
The Bad
You might be wondering how a free and easy-to-use marketing option could be bad? Simply put, digital marketing isn’t permanent, so it involves a lot of work to keep ahead of the competition.
For example, online marketing makes use of keywords that enhance search engine optimization. Google’s algorithms detect your keywords and viola, your business is promoted. What happens when Google changes its algorithm? Other platforms such as Facebook also change their business page rules from time to time and this might affect your current way of marketing.
For digital marketing to be completely effective for your business, you’ll have to remain up to date with changing trends. This can be challenging and time consuming and you might need external assistance.
The Ugly
The internet is a marvel of information. Everything you need to know to manage or market your organization can be found on the information highway. But, just how reliable is the data you find?
Not all online information useful. Some of it might be outdated, inaccurate or downright nonsense. Company owners, especially those new to business and marketing, might find it difficult to distinguish between useful material and inaccurate sources. This makes it difficult to find the ideal way to approach marketing if you research methods online.
This could lead to focus being placed on the wrong aspects of advertising and ugly marketing decisions being made. Additionally, it needs to be said that not all digital marketing providers are trustworthy. Some unscrupulous providers are only aiming to prey on unsuspecting businesses.
How to Identify Ugly Digital Marketing Practices
Some of the unprincipled digital marketing practices to avoid include the following:
- They promise your business number 1 rankings: No one can guarantee you a first page ranking on a Google search. It’s all to do with relevant SEO optimization. A respectable marketer will provide you with the tools to be efficient, but they can’t “guarantee” you the first-page spot.
- They use outdated case studies: Marketers should have the most up to date reviews and case studies. Having a blazing review from 2015 is all good and well. But, considering that SEO and Google algorithms are continuously changing, their 2015 case study doesn’t guarantee their ability to offer you success in 2021!
- Look out for transactional language: Do these marketing providers want to help you or do they want to sell you a service? It might seem like the same thing, but be assured, it’s not. Service providers who want to help you would say as much right from the onset. If a service provider starts with how much it will cost you, be wary. Ask yourself if you want a partner or a vendor?
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing can be greatly beneficial to your organization if it’s applied correctly. A business owner needs to do extensive research into the long-term expectations and offerings of a particular marketing option. Ensure you familiarize yourself with changing trends and pesky little challenges like algorithm updates. If you decide to make use of a service provider who’ll do all that for you, make the effort to research their existing and previous clients.
Keeping your finger on the digital pulse of your business will ensure you don’t experience the bad and ugly side of digital marketing. Use the many benefits associated with the good features to not only become but remain successful!
Kris David
A student by day and a wordsmith by night, Kris David works as a freelance blogger. He is currently pursuing a degree in Communications and relying on his freelance gigs to jumpstart his career in journalism.
