The advent of social media means that customers can access important information at the touch of a button. Because of this, traditional marketing tactics, such as radio ads and billboards, have become less effective. What’s more, the digital sphere allows for more targeted marketing than ever before, which further decreases the need for broad-based campaigns.

To survive in today’s marketplace, marketers must evolve with the times and rely more heavily on digital marketing initiatives.

Why Online Marketing?

Although traditional marketing techniques still have their place, as mentioned above, online marketing is the preferred method for most businesses.

Here are some of the main reasons why.

Increased Effectiveness

In the past, billboards and radio ads were generally considered effective forms of advertising. However, with the rise of the Internet, those tactics have become less useful. Thanks to the pervasiveness of social media, the effectiveness of online marketing is immensely increased.

Billboards and radio ads only reach a small subset of the population, whereas online marketing allows for wide distribution and the possibility of being found by someone interested in your product or service. With the right strategy and targeted marketing, the Internet is where you should focus your efforts.

Additionally, the web allows for more personal connections between a business and their customers. Traditional marketing techniques, such as radio ads, are somewhat one-dimensional in nature and, as a result, can seem less personal. However, with the internet, a business can utilize blogs, websites, and social media to build a personal connection with their customers and potential customers.

More Visibility

Being listed in popular online directories and websites can boost your business’ visibility online. While this may not seem like a massive advantage, when compared to traditional marketing methods, it can mean a significant increase in visibility. Because of this, it’s often considered a free advertisement.

Additionally, when a business is listed on online directories or sites, it’s often considered a marker of credibility. Which leads us to our next point…

Credibility

If you run a small business, the chances are you’re already aware that customers can be fickle. In other words, they may not always be willing to blindly trust your products or services, even if they appear to be genuine. However, because of your business’ lack of visibility, this skepticism is generally not triggered. As a result, if you want to establish credibility, you have to work harder than ever to build up your online presence.

More Engagement

Interactive marketing and social media encourage customers to engage with your company. Whereas some may see this as a detriment, encouraging your customers to interact with you can mean significant engagement and lead to a more receptive audience.

Because of this, businesses that heavily rely on digital marketing may see a significant increase in the number of people finding your content and engaging with you online. Additionally, once consumers have engaged with your content, it is often considered more valuable than content that was just passing by.

Increased Effectiveness In Emerging Markets

Emerging markets have adopted the internet and social media more rapidly than any other part of the world. The result is that businesses must adapt their approach to the internet in order to ensure that their message is received.

However, despite this trend, many businesses still aren’t doing enough to reach the emerging markets. Which leads us to why traditional marketing is still effective.

Traditional Marketing Still Has Its Place

Although there are numerous advantages to online marketing, it’s important to not overlook the value of traditional marketing. Much like with any other facet of business, marketing is not one size fits all.

For some businesses, billboards and radio ads may be the preferred way to go. Whereas, for others, the internet may be the preferred method.

As a business owner, it’s important to evaluate your target audience’s preferred channel and use that to guide your decisions. This way, you can ensure that your channel of choice is optimized for maximum effectiveness.