Digital Marketing for Small and Large Businesses

Today, more people than ever are spending a significant amount of their time online. Whether it’s visiting websites and mobile apps, browsing social media, streaming videos, or engaging in online shopping, one thing has become abundantly clear to businesses worldwide: establishing a strong online presence is essential for thriving in this fast-paced and competitive environment. And here’s the key: a well-crafted digital marketing strategy can make this happen.

Digital marketing serves as the ultimate equalizer, leveling the playing field for businesses of all sizes. It has the potential to expand reach and deliver real-time, measurable results, far more economically than with traditional marketing methods. So, whether you’re a small startup or a large corporation, success is no longer exclusive to a select few. With the right digital marketing solutions and strategy, you can confidently compete toe-to-toe with established industry leaders.

Here’s everything you need to know about digital marketing solutions for small and large businesses.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing, essentially, refers to any marketing effort that occurs on the internet. This comprehensive approach involves businesses leveraging digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, websites, mobile apps, connected TV, and other digital means to connect with both current and prospective customers.

Digital marketing is indispensable for business and brand awareness. With just about every brand out there boasting a website or a social media presence, digital content and marketing have become increasingly important for consumers seeking information about brands.

How Digital Marketing Differs from Traditional Marketing

As societal, technological, and cultural tides shift towards the online world, digital marketing has risen to prominence, reshaping how we promote products and services. Let's talk about the key differences between digital and more traditional marketing approaches.

Medium

Traditional marketing primarily utilizes offline channels:

• Print media (newspapers, magazines)
• Billboards
• Television
• Radio
• Direct mail

On the other hand, digital marketing leverages online platforms:

• Websites
• Social media
• Search engines
• Email
• Mobile apps
• Text messaging
• Connected television

Reach

Traditional marketing typically focuses on reaching local or regional audiences using physical advertising methods like billboards, print ads, and direct mail. It's designed to appeal to consumers in specific areas.

In contrast, digital marketing has the flexibility to engage with a global audience via the Internet. Businesses can leverage online platforms to reach potential customers anywhere in the world. Alternatively, digital marketing also allows for incredibly precise targeting. It enables companies to tailor their campaigns to people based on factors such as where they live, their age, browsing habits, interests, past purchases, and other personal characteristics.

Cost

Traditional marketing can be more expensive due to the costs associated with printing materials, purchasing ad space, and producing audiovisual content.

Digital marketing, in contrast, offers more cost-effective options, with various digital advertising platforms offering flexible budgeting and targeting campaigns.

Measurement and Analytics

Digital marketing provides precise metrics and data analysis that allow marketers to track and measure the effectiveness of their campaigns in close to real-time.

Traditional marketing, on the other hand, often relies on estimates and indirect measurements, making it harder to gauge the exact impact of the marketing efforts.

Interactivity and Engagement

Digital marketing allows for greater interactivity and engagement with the audience. Through social media, comments, likes, shares, and feedback, businesses can directly interact with consumers, fostering stronger relationships.

Traditional marketing is more passive, lacking the same level of direct engagement.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Digital marketing provides more flexibility in terms of making changes to campaigns on the fly, adjusting targeting parameters, or optimizing content based on real-time data.

Traditional marketing, once implemented, is less adaptable and can be challenging to modify or adjust.

Types of Digital Marketing Services

Marketing has always been about reaching audiences at the right place and time. In today's world, that means meeting them where they already spend a significant amount of their time—the internet. Digital marketing serves as a vital link for businesses to engage effectively with their target audience in the ever-evolving digital landscape. To provide a comprehensive overview, here are some of the most popular types of digital marketing solutions:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a strategic process aimed at enhancing the visibility and ranking of a website in search results, particularly on platforms like Google. It involves optimization techniques to improve the website’s presence, ensuring it appears prominently when users search for relevant content online. These search engine optimization techniques are complex because of all the variables incorporated into the search engine’s ranking algorithm. These optimization methods address both content-related aspects, such as content writing and marketing, and technical elements, known as technical SEO, shaping a business's website. They vary depending on whether a business has a local focus (local SEO) or a national reach. Additionally, these techniques rely on a website's overall digital reputation, gauged by its Google Authority. This reputation is heavily influenced by the websites that link to your business's website, highlighting the importance of digital marketing services like link building. To sum it up - SEO is a key ingredient to making a website more discoverable and accessible to its target audience.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Search engine marketing (SEM) is a digital marketing solution that utilizes paid advertising to ensure visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs) for your business’s products or services. It positions your business as a top result when users search for specific keywords. While SEM is a broad term covering all search engine marketing, it commonly refers to pay-per-click advertising.

Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC)

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) involves investing in advertisements to prominently display on search engine results pages or social media platforms. In this digital marketing approach, advertisers pay a fee each time their ad is clicked. It’s a cost-effective strategy that ensures your ads are strategically positioned where your audience frequents, and you only pay for actual results.

Display Advertising

Many content websites such as espn.com, Yahoo.com, and Foxnews.com are advertising supported with most web pages containing 3 or more advertisements, known as display ads. Display ads are a great way for a business to market itself online outside of search engine marketing because of the great variety of audience targeting options that are available:

- Behavioral Targeting

- Contextual (or keyword) Targeting

- Intent Targeting

- Retargeting

- Lookalike Marketing

- Geofencing

- Addressable Geofencing

Businesses are able to buy these specific advertising targeting options programmatically (programmatic advertising) using a service like Google Ad Manager.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing focuses on creating and sharing content on social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formally Twitter), and Instagram, to enhance brand awareness and engagement with your target audience. It is becoming increasingly important to have a large and positive social media reputation and presence for your brand.

Video Marketing and Advertising

The consumption of video content online is massive as a result of websites like YouTube. YouTube is almost entirely advertising supported through both Display Advertising and, most importantly, pre-roll ads that run before a content video. As a result, video marketing on YouTube has become a big business.

Advertising on Connected Television

With the rise of digital TV services such as Netflix and Pluto TV, the television landscape is rapidly evolving. Traditional cable and satellite platforms are losing market share to these internet-based streaming services. As a result, connected TV (CTV) advertising, which displays ads through smart TVs and mobile devices capable of streaming, is emerging as a significant area for advertising growth in the coming years. This shift presents advertisers with new opportunities to reach audiences who are increasingly consuming content online.

Podcast Marketing

Podcast marketing is becoming an increasingly attractive space for advertisers. As the number of podcast listeners continues to grow rapidly and with so many different genres of podcasts, podcast advertising offers tremendous targeting options. Advertisers can capitalize on the intimate and influential nature of podcasting through host-read ads, which are similar to influencer endorsements. If your business has historically found success with radio advertising, podcast advertising would be a natural and effective extension of your marketing efforts.

Content Marketing

Content marketing involves the writing, creation, and sharing of valuable content, such as articles, blog posts, e-books, or videos, to attract and retain a specific audience. It’s a strategic approach that focuses on providing valuable information to engage and build a lasting connection with your target audience.

Native Advertising

Native advertising is specifically crafted to seamlessly integrate with surrounding content, aiming to appear less overtly promotional. This is achieved by prioritizing the delivery of information or entertainment before presenting any promotional material. This strategy is an attempt to overcome consumer skepticism by integrating with a platform’s environment, providing content that mimics the look and feel of organic content (while remaining transparent about its promotional nature).

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a  strategy where businesses promote their products or services through third-party websites, known as affiliates. These affiliates help drive sales and earn a commission for each successful referral. This approach not only helps businesses tap into previously unexplored audiences but also serves as a means to enhance sales of existing offerings.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves collaborating with influential individuals in your industry or celebrities to promote your brand or product. These influencers, who usually have substantial social media followings, can significantly enhance brand visibility and drive sales through their endorsement. 

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful strategy that leverages email communication to promote a business's products or services. This versatile tool empowers companies to not only keep customers informed about the latest offerings and special deals but also to build brand awareness, foster customer relationships, and maintain engagement between purchases. What sets email marketing apart is its capability for enhanced personalization and targeted communication, allowing businesses to tailor their messages to individual preferences and needs.

Digital Presence and Online Reputation Management

To be successful in the digital arena, a business needs to have a prominent online presence and maintain a positive digital reputation across various platforms. This extends beyond just your company’s website and social media channels - it includes managing profiles on business listing and review websites like Yelp. Actively overseeing these third-party listings and responding to customer reviews are crucial components of effective online reputation management. This proactive approach helps shape a public perception and bolsters your company’s overall reputation.

Benefits of Digital Marketing and Why It’s Important

Why is digital marketing so important?

Because modern businesses need to keep up with today’s consumers!

Look at it this way: Over 5.6 billion people, worldwide, own a cell phone. It’s reported that 5.3 billion people use the Internet. And, a whopping 4.95 billion people spend substantial time on social media.

All of those stats are telling us the same important thing: That nearly 70% of the world’s population is online.

So, your business should be too.

Digital marketing has revolutionized the way businesses connect with audiences. In an era where consumers are constantly online, digital marketing has become an indispensable tool for businesses aiming to thrive in the dynamic digital landscape.

Here are just some of the best benefits of digital marketing to consider:

Broad Reach

No geographical boundaries hold you back! When you publish content or an advertisement online, it becomes accessible to people everywhere regardless of their geographic location (unless you’ve purposely set specific limitations). From social media platforms with billions of users to targeted ads hitting the bullseye, you can connect with a wider audience than ever before.

Cost Efficiency

Digital marketing solutions boast considerably lower overhead costs than traditional methods. Say goodbye to the hefty price tags of television commercials and billboard rentals. Instead, creating content for social media or a website is significantly more affordable - not to mention, enduring! A piece of content can live on the Internet forever, whereas it’s safe to say that a newspaper hits a recycle bin sooner or later.

More Targeted Possibilities

Unlike traditional advertising mediums such as TV, magazines, or billboards, where you have limited control over the audience that sees your ad, digital marketing allows you to carefully target specific demographics if you so choose.

Compete with Larger Brands

Digital marketing provides small businesses with the opportunity to compete with larger brands in their industry. Even without substantial financial resources, digital marketing allows you to strategically invest in initiatives that can yield significant results. For example, SEO efforts are one avenue that won’t cost anything more than time.

Measurable Results

It’s possible to measure the return on investment (ROI) for just about anything digitally. You can use tools like Google Analytics to track web page views, conversions, and leads. Most social media platforms provide this kind of data as well. This information can help you make informed, real-time adjustments to campaigns that may not be performing how you’d like them to. It can also aid you in prioritizing future strategies and campaigns across different platforms.

Engagement

Online channels allow you to engage with your audience at every stage of the path to a purchase. Utilizing digital platforms such as email, social media, and content marketing presents a valuable opportunity to foster ongoing engagement and cultivate interest in your products and services. A prime example of this is writing a helpful blog on your website. People read it, learn about your product or service, and come back for more. It's like having an ongoing conversation instead of just shouting once. This builds trust and makes consumers more likely to buy from you. 

Flexibility

The real beauty of digital marketing lies in its flexibility and adaptability. Unforeseen circumstances can arise and adjustments to your campaign may become necessary. Whether it's a  faulty assumption, or an unexpected audience response, the ability to make changes along the way proves invaluable, sparing you from starting over completely. This advantage becomes even more apparent when compared to traditional marketing methods like mailers or billboard advertising. Digital marketing allows for easy modifications, enabling you to swiftly adjust or pause an online ad that isn't yielding the desired outcomes. If your billboard isn’t producing the results you want, well, you can’t hit the pause button for that - you’re just plain old stuck.

How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy

In the world of digital marketing, a well-conceived strategy is the difference between soaring success and plummeting disappointment. Missing crucial elements can squander opportunities and leave you chasing underwhelming results. That's why taking the time to craft a comprehensive plan, aligned with your specific goals, is the key to unlocking the full potential of your digital marketing efforts. Let's dive into the essential steps to crafting a strategy that catapults your business to online success.

Identify and Set Your Goals

When setting marketing goals, you should steer clear of vague or broad objectives that lack measurability and actionability. Goals like "increase social media followers" or "drive thousands of people to your website" may sound appealing, but they don't actually provide a clear roadmap for your team or effectively measure success. To ensure your goals are effective, they should be SMART. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Your digital marketing goals should be specific in nature, measurable in terms of progress and success, actionable by providing clear steps to achieve them, relevant to your business objectives, and time-bound to create a sense of urgency.

For example:

Instead of “increase blog traffic,” your SMART goal should be, “increase organic website traffic by 20% over the next six months by optimizing on-page SEO and publishing five new blog posts per month.”

Your goal should be measurable using key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs are metrics used to evaluate the progress and success of a goal. KPIs provide a way to measure performance, track progress, and make data-driven decisions. KPIs serve as a benchmark for progress, highlight areas of improvement, and help organizations stay focused on their strategic priorities. Here are a few KPIs you’ll likely want to use: 

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

• Measure the effectiveness of online advertising.
• Calculate the percentage of people who clicked on an ad out of those who saw it.
• Helps gauge the success of ad campaigns and optimize strategies.

Conversion Rate

• Go beyond clicks to measure actual actions taken by users.
• Compare the percentage of people who completed desired actions (e.g., making a purchase) to the total audience reached.
• Provides insights into the effectiveness of ads or promotions in driving conversions.

Social Media Traffic

• Track interactions with company social media profiles.
• Monitor likes, follows, views, shares, and other measurable actions.
• Understand engagement levels and the impact of social media efforts on brand awareness and reach.

Website Traffic

• Monitor the number of visitors to a company's website within a specific time frame.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing initiatives in driving traffic.
• Identify trends, assess campaign performance, and make data-driven decisions for website optimization.

Identify Your Audience

Knowing your audience isn't just a good idea, it's the difference between a bullseye and a miss. Your target audience is the specific group of individuals you aim to reach through your campaign, characterized by shared attributes such as age, gender, demographic, or purchasing behavior. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of your target audience, you can make informed decisions regarding the most effective digital marketing services and solutions to utilize, as well as useful information to incorporate into your campaigns.

Here, enter the buyer persona: your ideal customer. Conduct surveys, analyze your existing customer base, and most importantly, listen to their stories. What are their aspirations? What keeps them up at night? What makes them tick? These insights will bridge the gap between your product and their desires.

Once you have all your audience details, you can tailor your campaigns to resonate with their dreams, address their challenges, and offer solutions that fit their priorities.

Create a Budget

Establishing a budget requires the deliberate allocation of resources aligned with your SMART goals. To ensure cost-effectiveness, avoid indiscriminate spending across various channels and instead, focus on those most likely to yield desired outcomes. Consider these factors to create a well-rounded and realistic digital marketing budget that maximizes resources and contributes to the achievement of your goals:

Forecasted Budget

Create a comprehensive outline of the resources and tools required for content production and paid ads, as well as the potential need for hiring freelancers or contractors.

Employees

Evaluate the current team members in your marketing department and decide if additional personnel such as freelancers or contractors are necessary. Additionally, consider whether employees from other departments can be cross-trained or contribute to marketing efforts in any capacity.

Available Resources

Review the current tools available to you and determine which ones are essential for successful marketing campaigns and tracking. Assess if any additional tools need to be acquired.

Existing Content

Identify the content pieces within your library that can be repurposed or reused, reducing the need for new content creation.

Select Your Digital Marketing Channels

From content marketing to pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, and everything in between - there is an extensive range of digital marketing solutions at your disposal. However, the selection of which channels to utilize should be driven by careful consideration of your specific goals, target audience, and available budget.

To choose the most appropriate digital marketing services for your business, align your objectives with the strengths and characteristics of each channel. Consider your goals - whether they are focused on increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales. Also, analyze your target audience - their preferences, behaviors, and online habits. Finally, factor in your budget and ensure that the chosen channels offer a cost-effective and efficient return on investment.

Refine and Optimize

To truly refine and optimize your digital marketing efforts, it's essential to analyze the data generated by your campaigns. By carefully examining your KPIs, you can gain valuable insights into what worked well and areas where improvements can be made. 

What Is a Digital Marketing Agency and How Can It Help My Business?

A digital marketing agency is a professional team of individuals who specialize in leveraging various digital marketing services to promote businesses online. Serving as a digital growth engine, these agencies possess the expertise and tools necessary to navigate the dynamic landscape of online marketing.

Here's how a digital marketing agency can benefit your business:

• Boost Your Online Presence

• Developing a Powerful Website: Crafting a user-friendly website that effectively showcases your brand, attracts customers, and converts leads. A well-designed, easy-to-navigate website, combined with efficient e-commerce capabilities, is crucial. Reliable website hosting is also essential to guarantee that your site is consistently accessible and loads quickly for visitors. WordPress is a popular choice for small businesses looking to build their online platform due to its user-friendly nature and flexibility.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Ensuring your website ranks high in search engine results, enhancing visibility for potential customers. The agency will help with Technical SEO, content writing, local SEO, Link Building, and more.
• Running Targeted Online Advertising Campaigns: Utilizing platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads for precise audience targeting and optimal use of advertising budgets.
• Engaging with Your Audience on Social Media: Managing social media channels, creating compelling content, and fostering conversations with your target customers.
• Crafting Compelling Email Marketing Campaigns: Developing targeted email campaigns to nurture leads, drive sales, and foster customer loyalty.

• Provide Valuable Insights

• Tracking Campaign Performance: Using analytics tools to monitor digital campaign effectiveness and offering actionable insights for improvement.
• Identifying New Opportunities: Staying updated on digital trends and technologies to keep your business at the forefront of online marketing.
• Freeing Up Your Time: Allowing you to focus on core business operations while the agency handles digital marketing services and solutions.

In summary, a digital marketing agency can:

• Increase brand awareness and reach new customers.
• Generate leads and drive sales.
• Build customer loyalty and advocacy.
• Provide valuable data and insights for informed marketing decisions.

Whether you're a small business just starting out or a larger company aiming to scale your online presence, partnering with a digital marketing agency can be instrumental in your journey to success. Your online presence serves as your digital storefront, and a proficient digital marketing agency can transform it into a powerful magnet for attracting customers and boosting your business.

If I Hire a Digital Marketing Agency, Who Will I Get?

When you bring a digital marketing agency on board, you're enlisting a team of specialists skilled in boosting brand awareness and generating leads across diverse digital channels. Here's who you’ll get:

SEO Manager

• Main KPIs: Organic traffic
• Responsibilities: SEO managers focus on improving a business's ranking on Google SERPs. They employ various strategies to enhance organic traffic and work closely with content creators to ensure high-quality content that meets Google's standards. They also collaborate with social media teams to optimize content distribution.

Content Marketing Specialist

• Main KPIs: Time on page, overall blog traffic, YouTube channel subscribers
• Responsibilities: Content marketing specialists are skilled digital content creators. They manage blogging calendars, develop content strategies, and may incorporate video content. They collaborate with other departments to align promotional content with products and campaigns across all digital channels.

Social Media Manager

• Main KPIs: Follows, Impressions, Shares
• Responsibilities: Social media managers oversee social media platforms, establishing posting schedules for written and visual content. They engage with followers, attract new followers, and monitor key metrics such as follows, impressions, and shares. They often work closely with content marketing specialists to develop effective content-sharing strategies.

Marketing Automation Coordinator

• Main KPIs: Email open rate, campaign click-through rate, lead-generation and conversion rates
• Responsibilities: Marketing automation coordinators assist in selecting and managing software that tracks customer behavior and measures business growth. They ensure the seamless execution of various marketing operations by grouping them into individual campaigns. They track performance indicators such as email open rates, campaign click-through rates, and lead generation conversion rates.

Does Digital Marketing Work for All Businesses?

Digital marketing can be effective for any business in practically any industry. The main idea behind it, while simple, holds true no matter what your niche is – it’s all about understanding and meeting your audience's needs.

No matter what your company does or sells, whether products or services, digital marketing is about being visible online. This means using smart strategies to connect with potential customers through different online channels.

Of course, to make digital marketing work, it's incredibly important to keep up with what's happening in your industry and the latest technology. Being able to change and try new tools and methods is essential to keeping up in the online world.

Just remember this: Digital marketing works for all kinds of businesses, but you've got to make it fit your business's unique features. Understanding what your audience needs and being ready to change things up ensures that digital marketing becomes a powerful tool for making your brand known, connecting with people, and hitting your business goals no matter what field you're in.

Should I Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?

With the right agency as your partner, you can optimize your digital presence, engage with your target audience, and achieve your marketing goals effectively. Here are some of the best reasons to consider hiring a digital marketing agency:

Cost-Effectiveness

Onboarding and maintaining full-time marketing employees can be costly. Hiring a digital marketing agency can be a more cost-effective option for businesses with limited marketing budgets.

Expertise

Working with a marketing agency gives you access to a team of experts across various channels, such as design, development, SEO, and copywriting. This extended skill set will enhance your marketing efforts without the need to expand your internal team.

Experience

Marketing agencies bring experience gained from working with diverse clients and industries. They have proven processes and tools in place to manage and monitor campaigns effectively, ensuring the best results possible for your business.

Efficiency

By hiring an agency, you can focus on other essential tasks and responsibilities within your organization while leaving the marketing work in capable hands. This saves time and allows for efficient resource allocation.

Savings

Working with a marketing agency can save both time and money compared to hiring a full-time marketing manager. Agencies have the flexibility to adapt to your specific needs, bringing a wealth of experience to the table and ensuring that your marketing efforts stay relevant and effective.

Are You Ready to See the Difference Our Digital Marketing Services Can Make for Your Business?

Salem Surround is a digital marketing agency that prioritizes business growth with your unique goals in mind. We’ll take the time to get to know your business’s products, services, mission, and brand voice so we can curate a customized marketing plan with all the right messaging. We’ll also help you select the digital marketing services that are likely to deliver the highest ROI for your business.

With Salem Surround, you get:

A Transparent Process

We can design and develop a website that truly represents your brand and appeals to your target audience. We'll also ensure your website works well and ticks all the necessary boxes for a strong performance in search. Our digital marketing agency is always learning the latest trends and design principles to help our clients create great websites that work for their needs. We can easily incorporate your preferred CMS or e-commerce platforms as well.

Client-First Approach

We believe in extreme client focus. Our dedicated digital marketing agency will take the time to discuss your goals and provide the best solutions to achieve them. We’ll also explain every process and strategy and ensure you understand every detail of your campaign.

Integrity & Accountability

We do business the right way! We believe in the philosophy that success without integrity is a failure! With an upfront and honest approach, we treat everyone with the utmost respect. We value your opinion and work hard every day to deliver the best results.

Consistent Wins for Our Clients

We have a long track record of success in the field of digital marketing and remain at the forefront of industry trends. Many of our clients keep coming back to us and have even referred our services to other clients. We use our expertise and state-of-the-art technologies to come up with the best digital marketing strategies. Don’t settle for inconsistent strategies. Choose the best digital marketing agency with proven results!

Marketing Experts Working for You

With an extensive team of dedicated digital marketing experts who are specialists in their respective fields, we provide you with top-notch service for every digital marketing need. Our team works cooperatively to ensure success in every campaign you run with us.

Click here to get started with Salem Surround, today!