When you talk about marketing, it’s not uncommon for you to talk about marketers. Marketers are highly skilled individuals bringing different selling approaches to the table. Traditional marketing employs tried and tested advertising methods such as broadcast media, print, or snail mail to their prospective customers.
Though traditional marketing has worked well over the decades, it is not only costly, it can’t be measured and lacks precision in audience targeting. Not only can traditional marketers find it a challenge to track the success of their campaigns accurately, but they also have limited avenues for audience engagement and interaction.
Marketing’s purpose has always been to connect with prospective and existing customers through the use of tools and resources. While it’s true that traditional marketing methods are still relevant today, the evolution of the internet and the volume of people using it worldwide meant digital marketing has boomed.
In addition to achieving traditional marketing objectives, digital marketing offers brands a more targeted niche audience. A strong digital presence can help your brand’s trustworthiness which attracts and helps build a wider audience.
Small businesses typically have small marketing budgets and can benefit greatly from systems and processes that can give them maximum reach with minimal investment. They can channel their limited resources towards awareness building using value-filled content to propel awareness for a business. Small businesses might not have an in-house marketing department at the start of their operations, but they can leverage social media through a digital marketing agency or an independent contractor who specialises in these areas.
Digital marketers’ advantage over traditional marketers is that they can create personalised and interactive marketing campaigns to build customer trust and meaningful relationships with their customers. Being data-driven and armed with real-time analytics, digital marketers can quickly adapt to fast-changing trends, algorithms, and fickle consumer behaviours.
Though we can’t discount that traditional marketers possess a wealth of experience and expertise in traditional marketing methods, digital marketers fare better by harnessing the power of data and technology to drive measurable and targeted results. Both traditional and modern approaches have their specific strengths, however, the dominance of the digital age naturally made business owners explore and seize better and new opportunities being offered by marketing online, as opposed to traditional marketing methods.
The unprecedented proliferation of digital channels came with the penetrating nature of the internet. This puts big and small businesses to compete on equal footing. Being data-driven, businesses and brands can refine their strategies continually and target specific demographics with personalised content, and the best part, measure a campaign’s performance, in real-time.
Businesses today aiming for growth and enhanced brand recognition now have a critical catalyst for success, by embracing digital marketing. The methods and strategies of digital marketing will continue to evolve as a result of ongoing technological advancements and developments.
For instance, the frequent use of social media and the internet in general, digital marketing strategies are growing, worldwide. DataReportal reported that 4.62 billion people are now actively using social media, with 4.95 billion utilising the internet in general, and it is still growing.
It is therefore essential for a marketer to have maximum knowledge when it comes to current technologies and advancements, using the latest digital marketing tactics to get a slice of the pie for your business.
Digital Marketing Experts.
Engaging the services of a leading web design and digital marketing agency, such as Accentuate Web Design and Marketing, can help your business establish a strong online presence and drive remarkable growth.
Accentuate’s holistic approach to web design and digital marketing aims to take away the frustration of finding a quality web design and digital marketing team. Stay ahead of your competition with a website that’s not only aesthetically beautiful but helps you create leads, generate income, and make sales for your business.
Our team of highly skilled and Google-certified professionals are experts in web design and development. Our digital marketing team, on the other hand, are well-versed in search engine optimisation (SEO), email marketing, pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, content creation, and graphic design and branding. Need help in registering your domain and/or hosting your website? Get in touch with us.
Businesses, regardless if they belong within the same niche, are unique. Taking a cue from this, we adapt strategies to align with your goals and vision for your company and go abreast with the latest industry and technological advancements to maximise your return on investment. That way, we help you and your brand stay relevant and resonate with your target audience.
What is Digital Marketing?
Since the inception of trading, marketing has been in place. When you put in the effort to connect with people to promote and sell your product or service, that’s marketing. To correlate, when you promote your business and/or your brand to potential customers at the right place and time using the internet, that’s digital marketing.
But this simplistic, yet accurate description falls short of what digital marketing is, and what it can do for your business and/or brand. The difference is, that digital mediums allow a business to access a far larger audience compared to a local newspaper or magazine versus a post on social media. An ad using traditional outlets will only be limited to its subscribers.
The reach for a broadcast ad may be larger than print. This works especially for big-ticket shows or events. Now you know why ad placements during the Super Bowl are a major thing for brands. The only drawback is the cost.
An average ad placement during the Super Bowl costs around $6 million to $7 million for ONE 30-SECOND SPOT. That’s a hefty price tag just to make people aware or remember your brand. Digitally placed ads would cost only a very small fraction of about $2500 to $12,000 per month on average, which will run for an entire month. The online advertising cost will depend on what channels you advertise on, what services you use, and how large your campaigns are.
A digitally placed ad can reach anyone on a particular platform, and you don’t have to pay for each day it’s on your profile. With digital marketing, a targeted demographic can be reached regardless of their location. For example, if you run pay-per-click (PPC) ads, you only pay for the ad each time a user clicks on your ad link.
The thing is, your targeting can be further enhanced later on in the funnel when prospects do click on the ad where you can then ask for their phone number, residential/business addresses, or email addresses.
All that needs to be done is to create a presence in spaces where your desired customers are, such as social media platforms or even search engines. By posting high-quality content and analysing who is visiting your website and/or engaging with your posts, you get insights into your target audience and tailor your ads towards them. This means you don’t have to create ads to include an uninterested demographic in your digital marketing strategy.
Working with an Agency vs. a Contractor.
A digital marketing strategy’s ultimate goal is to deliver campaigns that support your company’s wider goals and ambitions by employing numerous digital tactics and channels that are currently available at your disposal.
Most business owners, wanting to establish a strong online presence, outsource their web design and digital marketing. While large enterprises can create a dedicated marketing staff to handle the task, smaller ones might not have the budget.
When it comes to creating an online presence, it’s prudent that you’d want the best reach possible to garner results and be able to compete. But when it comes to hiring someone to make that happen, whose services are you going to engage? A web agency or an independent contractor?
While there may be distinctions between who’s better than the other, there are pros and cons associated with both options that can potentially affect your website’s success.
Working with Independent Contractors.
If you’re looking for web designers or digital marketers, but can’t commit to hiring full-time employees and building a whole team, there’s an easy solution. Hiring an independent contractor provides you with flexibility, and eliminates any third-party management confusion.
This type of work arrangement is advisable for individuals or small businesses needing a quality solution. With no commitment other than the duration of the project, you’ll benefit from greater agility when it comes to your business operations. Sounds good, right? However…
Why Working with a Full-Service Web Agency is the Better Option.
Settling for basic services when it comes to your website and marketing won’t cut it in a highly competitive digital landscape. Sure, you can have a website up and running on a budget, and probably hire another contractor to do digital marketing to promote your site and/or your brand online. But there’s nothing like the comprehensive attention that a full-service web design and marketing agency can provide.
Nothing can beat working with a team of experts to provide you access to their specialised skills, experience, expertise, resources, and knowledge, all in one place. Having a full-service agency on your side makes all the difference in establishing an authoritative online presence your audience will love.
From aesthetically pleasing web designs to automated security measures, SEO strategists, graphics and branding creators, content writers/creators, email marketing, and PPC ads, help ensure your website stands out from your competition. To get optimal quality and results it takes a team.
The Pros and Cons.
With the myriad of options out there to get a website created and implement digital marketing, it can be a challenge to decide which route would be most advantageous for you and your project. Though it may be true that going the independent contractor route might be cost-effective, it is much more difficult to manage quality control and scalability by having only one individual working, task-by-task.
Web agencies are arguably pricier, however, you’ll have a team of experts running the show from start to finish in a well-coordinated, well-thought-out, and planned manner. You’ll enjoy greater chances of garnering better results and with cost-effective budgeting when there’s a need to scale up later on.
When you hire a web agency, you’re getting a holistic approach to web design and/or marketing. It only requires you to know the bare essentials of marketing and leave the more complicated details up to the pros.
An independent contractor might be an expert in a particular field, but they often lack the experience and knowledge to handle every aspect of a project. To put it in perspective, omnichannel marketing is rarely a one-person job. You might need several contractors to get a project done, which can cost more in the long run, not to mention, it can be a logistical nightmare having to deal with several contractors personally. A big pro for agencies is that they have teams that are all managed in-house. They can develop a website, craft marketing strategies and implement them much faster.
Before you decide to hire an agency or a contractor, weigh the benefits against the drawbacks wisely. Though they serve the same purpose, the results you want to attain may vary. Do your research diligently to help you find a choice that will suit your company’s culture and vision.
The Accentuate Digital Marketing Difference.
Crafting a strong online presence and running digital marketing efforts requires unique skills and proficiency. Accentuate Web Design and Marketing stands at the forefront of web design and digital marketing on the Gold Coast. We provide a holistic approach to providing results-driven solutions.
An effective website must not only be functional and visually appealing, but it must also be user and mobile-friendly, responsive, and more importantly, search engine optimised. Of course, you’d also need a competent marketing team behind you who fully understands various digital platforms, algorithms, data analysis, and precise audience targeting.
Digital marketing can be a daunting task. If you’re pressed for time or simply have little or no knowledge of how to make things work, our Google-certified digital marketing professionals at Accentuate are at your disposal. Their wealth of experience and expertise can help you come up with data-driven strategies by employing cutting-edge techniques to craft digital marketing strategies to navigate the digital landscape with success.
Conclusion:
To wrap things up, it doesn’t have to be a chore to put up and run a website, do digital marketing, and run your business, all at the same time. There’s no need to sift through mountains of tutorials, struggle with coding and making sure everything is compatible with mobile, write your content, do social media, and monitor your campaigns if they are succeeding or not.
Digital marketing and strategies are always evolving. New trends and technology are always on the horizon. Today it’s social media, voice search usage is also on the rise. Now, AI technology is knocking to be let in and make its mark.
The role of digital marketers is undeniable in today’s modern business. Traditional forms and methods of marketing have their place, however, their cost, unmeasurable nature, and limited avenues to engage possible customers are now overtaken by digital marketing. Its ability to connect with specific niche audiences, build trust, and a wider recognition for your brand are clear advantages.
Digital marketing tactics should be evaluated and reevaluated regularly as new technology and trends emerge. What may be working well today, might be ineffective the next. It is a digital marketer’s task to keep up with these developments for you to enjoy maximum benefit for your return on investment (ROI).
In the dynamic world of digital marketing, staying relevant means embracing change. Accentuate Web Design and Marketing empowers your business with data-driven strategies, and employs both proven and emerging techniques to drive growth and success for your business.
As with any investment, only you can decide which will best suit and fit for you, your business goals. It’s time to turn your digital marketing goals to the next level. Contact us today and unlock your brand’s full potential.
