The internet has changed society, the environment, work, and lifestyles. Among the most significant changes brought about by access to the internet is digital marketing. It is analogous to marketing, advertising, and sales on TV. TV shows are free for people to watch because advertisers pay for the shows
Digital marketing is also like that. Most websites are free to use, with websites that have paid subscriptions in the minority. The biggest websites are free for anyone to access. These include search, social media, and most news sites. Although running websites cost money, these websites are free because advertising-income keeps them open. There are banner ads, text ads, and paid posts that have become part of online browsing.
Digital marketers are responsible for these online ads, and it seems that these will not go away soon. Online sales keep on increasing every year, and the demand for digital marketers grows along with online sales growth. It is not difficult to start a career as a digital marketer, even though there are plenty of options to market a product. There are also different types of digital marketers.
Types of Digital Marketers
The simplest type of digital marketing is where a website owner signs up with an affiliate program. The marketer is not directly selling a product. Instead, he has a website, and there are banners on the website. If a visitor clicks on the banner, he is forwarded to the product website. The website owner earns with every click on a banner. The earnings are measured in cost per thousand clicks, and the digital marketer has to create engaging content for visitors to view. He has to promote his site to attract visitors. This digital marketing kind does not require an inventory of the product or even a product. With no product to sell, this kind of business is the cheapest to start.
Another kind of digital marketer is someone who sells online. They could be selling on Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, or an eCommerce site. They have products to sell and keep an inventory. They make a sale only when a buyer expressly purchases an item and pays for it online.
How to Get Into Digital Marketing
Essentially, digital marketing is relatively easy to get into. There are only a few things that you need to have when you are engaged in marketing online. The following are some of the things you need to have when marketing online:
- A website. A website is your main office, your signage, your billboard, and your online presence—everything you do points back or links back to your website.
- Personal Branding. You need a recognizable and easy to remember online name. The name should contain what people would expect your website to be. Branding includes logos, acronyms, a site icon, and distinct web design.
- Content. Your website’s content should be fresh, original, and can be in any shape and size. You can have text or articles and blogs, reviews, instructional videos and vlogs, audios and podcasts, images, infographics, and others.
- Online products. These can be products you promote for affiliate marketing or products that you sell.
- Social media pages. One of the fastest ways to get attention is via viral media shared by many people on social media sites. Social media is used to convey a message and to reach out to prospects.
You don’t need to have all the necessary skills starting on day one. However, you have to know how to promote your website. The following are the skills that you need to learn to get your website noticed:
- Search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is a set of technologies that can help your website rank on search engines. There are on-page and off-page techniques that you can use for SEO, and SEO consultants would know the right strategies to help people find your website.
- PPC advertising. Some digital marketers rely wholly on pay-per-click advertising. Understanding this technology can help you, whether you are selling items or promoting services.
- Social Media Marketing. Marketing with the use of social media is both an art and a science. There is no magic to it, but it does require hard work.
- Email marketing. You can create a following with social media, but email marketing can convert your followers to buyers.
Digital marketing can be a profitable and enjoyable venture. However, like all careers, you need to know the basics and the tools of digital marketing.
