As we move further and further into the digital age,more people than ever are using their mobile devices for almost everything they do. This includes shopping for almost anything that they can think of. Because of this,companies are starting to cater their websites,advertising,and overall marketing plan toward their online customers. In a 2017 survey by Square and Mercury Analytics:
- 96% of Americans have used the internet to make purchases
- 51% of Americans would rather make all of their purchases online
- 67% of Millennials and 56% of Gen Xers would rather shop online than in a brick and mortar store
- 51% of Seniors have shopped online
Marketing professionals are quickly starting to use the internet as a way to reach as many of their customers as they can and grow their own customer base. According to socialmedia.com,90% of marketers use social media as a way to promote their business. However,it is taking longer for smaller companies to come around to this line of thinking,almost as if they consider the internet as a “fad” instead of the way future consumers will almost exclusively buy products. In another study from Square and Mercury Analytics,e-Commerce is growing at a rate of 23% annually,yet 46% of small businesses in America do not have a website. Therefore,it is imperative that small businesses get onboard with new digital marketing trends before they go by the wayside.
Online marketing is something that every business should put front and center in their marketing plan. It doesn’t matter if you call it online marketing,digital marketing,or e-Commerce marketing,it all comes down to the same thing. You need to be able to market your merchandise or services to the widest audience available,and that audience can be found nowhere else but the internet. You can grow your business,bring in new customers,and enhance your brand,all in the same place.
There are a lot of different ways that you can begin to build your digital marketing profile. Some of these include marketing with email,blogging,podcasts,SEO,social media,and through your own website,or alternate websites that you own or have partnered with. The important thing is that you know where your customers like to be on the internet,and where you can find people that would be interested in your products or services. While digital marketing is not a magic wand that will instantly turn your company into a success overnight,using it in the right way and sticking with your marketing plan will begin taking your company to the next level. You will start to see noticeable results,both in the number of customers that you have and in how recognizable your brand will become.
Check outFive Channels for more tips on how to use digital marketing to grow your company.