Why Online Marketing Is Important | Why Online Marketing Is Important for Businesses of All Sizes

For those looking to get into business for themselves, starting a blog might seem like an obvious decision. After all, you can use any old PC or phone to create an online presence, and the barrier to entry is minimal. While this is true, the fact remains that running a successful blog takes a lot of work – and it’s not something that can be easily outsourced to a remote team of writers and editors.

If you’re looking to grow your business, whether you’re just getting started or already have a few platforms under your belt, you might consider taking a more strategic approach to generating leads and building a customer base. After all, no matter what size your business might be, you’ll always have room for more customers.

In an effort to better understand the importance of online marketing for all businesses, regardless of their size, HubSpot conducted a study on the subject. They analyzed over a hundred million rows of transactional data from over a thousand businesses ranging from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries.

The result of their research, ‘The Future of Digital Marketing: Key Findings from a Study of 1,000 Marketing Channels’, is an invaluable look at why every business should be investing in digital marketing, even if they are currently running a lean operation.

The Rise of the Online Market Place

The first thing to point out is that this is not a study on traditional ‘marketplaces’, such as eBay or Amazon. Those businesses, while still relevant, are effectively playing a supporting role in the changing digital marketing landscape. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and the evolution of social media, the online market place has developed into a potent tool that any business can and should be exploring.

In the year 2018, over 234 million American consumers shop online, according to statista. And the trend seems to be headed in one direction: global online retail market value is anticipated to reach $16.9 trillion by next year.

Why Blogging is Important

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what makes up a successful blog, it’s important to take a step back and consider why blogging is such a valuable tool in the first place.

Blogging is a fantastic way to establish your expertise in your industry, build trust with your audience, and gain brand recognition. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and the evolution of social media, publishing regularly is no longer the exception but the norm. In fact, 73% of consumers regularly read blogs, according to HubSpot.

If you’re looking to get into business for yourself, starting a blog might seem like an obvious decision. After all, you can use any old PC or phone to create an online presence, and the barrier to entry is minimal. While this is true, the fact remains that running a successful blog takes a lot of work – and it’s not something that can be easily outsourced to a remote team of writers and editors.

For those looking to grow their business, whether you’re just getting started or already have a few platforms under your belt, you might consider taking a more strategic approach to generating leads and building a customer base. After all, no matter what size your business might be, you’ll always have room for more customers.

Traditional Marketing vs. Digital Marketing

With the rise of the ‘influencer’ and the ‘superstar’ Instagram influencers, it’s easy to understand why so many businesses are flocking to the platform. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and the evolution of social media, being ‘influential’ in your industry has never been more accessible. Platforms like Instagram allow influencers to connect with their audience, and businesses to gain exposure and recognition without having to spend astronomical amounts of money on traditional ads.

The trick is to find the right influencers for your industry. While it’s tempting to just go with the first few thousand that you see on the platform, taking the time to do some research will boost your productivity and help you find a more suitable influencer for your niche.

The Importance of Having Multiple Channels

Thanks to the wonders of the internet and the evolution of social media, businesses have multiple options for generating leads and building a customer base. While some industries, such as e-commerce, have traditionally dominated the ‘conversion funnel’, thanks to the increased usage of smartphones and the increased competition in virtually every industry, digital marketing channels other than e-commerce can and should be used.

And the importance of exploring these channels cannot be underscored. While social media is a fantastic place for businesses to attract potential customers, the reality is that people spend more time on their phones than on social media sites. Over 73% of American adults use their phones to access the internet, according to Statista. And that figure is growing every year.

As much as we rely on our smartphones and the internet, there’s no denying that face-to-face interactions are still very valuable. So while digital marketing is extremely important, it should not be viewed as a replacement for classic marketing – especially since you can’t always guarantee that you’ll reach your target audience when you post on the internet.

Building a Brand Awareness

Thanks to the increased usage of smartphones and the internet, consumers have more access to information than ever before. This is great for consumers but bad for businesses that don’t have a strategy in place to ensure their customers are aware of their existence.

The more a business invests in brand awareness, the more successful they will be in the long run. This could mean things such as sponsoring local sporting events or charities, creating videos and infographics that highlight your products and services, or even getting involved in social justice issues that correspond with your industry.