In simplistic terms, digital
marketing is the promotion of products or brands via one or more forms of
electronic media. Digital marketing differs from traditional marketing in that
it involves the use of channels and methods that enable an organization to
analyze marketing campaigns and Understand what is working and
what isn't – Typically in real time.
Why is digital marketing so important?
Digital marketers monitor things like what
is being viewed, how often and for how long, sales conversions, what content Works and doesn't work, etc.
While the Internet is, perhaps, the channel most closely associated With digital marketing, others
include wireless text messaging, mobile instant messaging, mobile apps, podcast, electronic billboards, digital television and radio channels, etc.
Because it is not only a rapidly growing force
in the current marketing playing field, it is set to be the future of
marketing, and it seems likely that digital media will soon replace more
traditional forms altogether. Digital marketing is infinitely more affordable
than traditional offline marketing methods. An email or social media campaign,
for example, can transmit a marketing message to consumers for the merest
fraction of the cost of a TV ad or print campaign, and potentially reach a
wider audience.
But one of the main benefits of conducting your marketing
digitally is the ease with which results can be tracked and monitored. Rather
than conducting expensive customer research, you can quickly view customer
response rates and measure the success of your marketing campaign in real-time,
enabling you to plan more effectively for the next one.
The facts are that
digital methods of communication and marketing are faster, more versatile,
practical and streamlined, so it is perhaps unsurprising that once the
technology became available we began quickly moving into the digital age.
The
good news is that digital offers just as much potential to marketers as it does
to consumers. The bottom line is, the digital age is here, and those businesses
that fail to adapt to the new marketing climate are at great risk of going
extinct sooner rather than later.
The importance of using digital
marketing channels, The use of digital marketing channels is key if you want to
reach your clients, says Dez Derry. Law firms are still not using social media
properly Article by asking you a simple question.
When did you last go online? Being online is not just about checking social
media, reading news stories or shopping.
Your emails came to you online, the text messages on your phone may well
have been transferred in part via an online system, and your TV broadcaster can
use the internet to update your listings or subscription to your set top box.
My point is online digital channels are everywhere, yet there are still a lot
of law firms lacking any Desire to embrace digital
channels fully.
We’re now at a stage where an entire generation of young adults
do not remember what the world was like before the internet. For them it is something
that has simply always been there and in turn they’re influencing other
generations to use digital channels to find the services they need.
The legal
sector needs to start acting now and make the most of what is no longer a
digital revolution but is now a digital normality. Other business sectors have
embraced digital marketing and it has done wonders for them. Looking at retail,
it ’s hard to find anyone that’s not
at least once purchased something online via Amazon or had their weekly
supermarket shopping delivered.
In fact the UK’s online retail association IMRG
and consultants Cap Gemini predict that this year online retailers will earn
over £10bn for the first time ever, and that’s just in December, so why
shouldn’t law firms also Take a cut? Different digital
channels offer different solutions for growing your business and using them
together can make a massive difference.
Telling people who are:
Website: This is your most
important digital channel and the place where your online clients will learn
the most about you. Easy to understand content needs to be updated regularly
with the whole site mobile optimized too, meaning it can be viewed on any
device. This is increasingly important with figures published by the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) showing that globally 1.2 billion
people access the web via mobile broadband.
Video: A video on your website
gives your firm a personality and allows you to get across information that
isn’t always easy with text alone. It also keeps people on your homepage for longer
which means your clients are more likely to get in touch and become a paying
client. Showing how professional you are in your videos will also reflect how
professional you are in the services you offer.
Search Engines: Following the
previous steps will help your website appear above your competitors in the
results of search engines like Google, when a potential client is searching for
a service you offer. You can increase this further by looking at pay-per click
(PPC) campaigns to refine exactly where you appear when certain search keywords
are used. A full service digital agency can assist you in creating a PPC campaign
so you’re able to generate good leads and analyses how well the campaign is
working.
Reaching a wider audience:
• Social Media: Facebook,
Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn are where peer recommendation come into play.
Being on social media allows current clients to talk about how great your
service independently. It also gives you a chance to add links to your blog and
your website, while also interacting with potential new clients.
• Blogging: As explained earlier,
writing a regular blog helps keep your website higher up in search engine
results. But as experts in law, writing short articles on legal matters,
offering basic advice, or opinions on recent sector changes show that if the
reader ever needs a lawyer you’re the one to contact. It also gives you another
chance to point your social media channels to your website.
• Email: Offering an email
newsletter is a great way of keeping in touch with previous clients for repeat
business. According to the Direct Marketing Association email marketing ROI was
£21.48 for every £1 spent in 2012, proving it’s a fantastic investment.
Using digital channels does not mean you have
to stop the traditional methods used to interact with new and current clients.
But as more and more people look for services online, the importance of not
accessing the market via digital channels become clear.
Challenges Facing Digital Marketers
Proliferation of digital channels. Consumers use multiple digital channels and a variety of devices that use different protocols, specifications and interfaces and they interact with those devices in different ways and for different purposes. Intensifying competition. Digital channels are relatively cheap, compared with traditional media, making them within reach of practically every business of every size. As a result, it’s becoming a lot harder to capture consumers’ attention.
Exploding data volumes. Consumers leave behind a huge trail of data in digital channels. It’s extremely difficult to get a handle on all that data, as well as find the right data within exploding data volumes that can help you make the right decisions.
Three Keys to Digital Marketing Success
So, what does it take to do digital marketing right? Here are three keys to digital marketing success:
1. Manage complex customer relationships across a variety of channels – both digital and traditional.
2. Respond to and initiate dynamic customer interactions.
3. Extract value from big data to make better decision
