Cutting-edge marketing looks drastically different than it did even a few short years ago. We can still imagine morning routines consisting of a shower and checking out what’s new in the world over a cup of coffee and the paper, but life no longer moves that slowly.
What was the first thing you did this morning? If you’re like 80 percent of other smartphone users, checking your phone happens within 15 minutes of waking up—even before brushing your teeth or hopping in the shower. This means that from the first moment of their day to the last, consumers are surrounded by marketing content. But this flood of content is no longer enough to keep their attention.
Younger generations, particularly millennials and Gen Zers, don’t respond as well to traditional marketing methods as older generations did. Evolving technologies like smartphones and instantaneous internet speeds have taught younger consumers to expect more, faster, and have forced digital marketers to rise to the challenge of not only offering high-quality marketing solutions but packaging their offers in such a way that they get—and keep—the attention of highly distracted buyers. These efforts take time, a talented team, and a dedicated digital marketing budget in order to pull off.
What Exactly is Digital Marketing?
At its most vague, digital marketing refers to efforts that target smartphones, electronics (like iPads), or online outlets. Many businesses leverage marketing methods and channels including SEO, content writing, social media networks, email campaigns, and more to connect and engage with existing and potential customers.
Why Digital Marketing Matters More Than Ever
Having originated about three decades ago, digital marketing is fairly new to the sales front—but it’s just not optional in today’s world. In fact, at Snap, we find exceptional digital marketing to be a crucial part of any successful business. With retail ecommerce sales expected to surpass $4 trillion by 2020, it’s time to turn increased attention to the digital front in order to capture this potential business. Although your business probably already commits a portion of its marketing budget to digital efforts, we’re here to raise the alarm and let you know that this number is probably not high enough. The time to up your digital marketing budget is now.
4 Reasons to Increase Your Digital Marketing Budget
Still not convinced that you should funnel more of your marketing budget to digital efforts? Take a look at these motivating factors.
Digital Marketing Brings Measurable ROI
Thanks to new technologies, including conversion rate optimization, heat map analysis, and SEO, it’s simple for digital marketers to illustrate the conversions and return rates on digital campaigns. Utilizing these tools to their full potential not only shows which types of marketing best connect with your consumer base, but they solidify the need for focused digital efforts by proving that they work—and well.
More Online Activity Equals a Deeper Consumer Connection
A significant segment of digital marketing involves connecting with and advertising to consumers through social media accounts. When you connect with your customers, you get a front-row seat to where they spend their time and how they spend their money. And since the average consumers spend around 37 percent of their social media time interacting with branded content, the better your digital marketing is, the more your customers will engage with it.
The Online Buying Experience Is Everything
Picture this with us: you step into a new store you’ve never been to, needing only one item. But after 10 minutes of searching diligently for it in all the logical places, you can’t find it. Would you keep searching? Or would you head to the Target down the street, knowing in exactly which aisle you can find it? Websites work the same way. If your consumers can’t find the information they seek, when and where they want to find it, they will turn to your competitors! Provide a logical, well-designed sales funnel on your website to guarantee that every buying experience is quick and easy.
Talent and Hard Work Beat Budget (But Both Are Great)
Arguably the biggest advantage of digital marketing is that, while a substantial budget is helpful in executing a great campaign, it’s not everything. A small, talented team with a set budget can do wonders for any company that is just getting its digital efforts up and running. If your team has been consistently increasing your ROI and conversions, imagine what they could do with a larger budget!
Make the Most of Your Digital Marketing With Snap
If you want expert help to tackle your growing digital marketing needs, send us a message today. Snap’s talented team of ecommerce experts, strategists, web designers, and content creators is eager to help your business take its digital marketing to the next level!