Digital marketing is an online process that sells products and services using the internet and other online-based technologies such as smartphones and desktop computers. The role of digital marketing is to generate sales, leads and new traffic for your business by reaching consumers through the online platforms.
The importance of digital marketing, particularly during the COVID-19 global pandemic, is undeniable. Digital marketing has become entrenched as the go-to method by many business and brands to reach their customers, most of whom spent lockdown in their homes, with their online technologies. The pandemic made it evident that the traditional way of reaching consumers was compromised. The magnitude of investments made worldwide by governments, the private sector, and NGOs to bring awareness to the people about the coronavirus using digital marketing alone shows how important it has been during the pandemic.
The pandemic made it evident that digital marketing is the future for businesses to compete, sell their products and services, and most importantly, to generate revenue. The digital space is where the consumers are spending most of their time during the pandemic – it is where they prefer businesses and brands to reach them and has become their marketplace during the pandemic.
Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.
According to the 2020 South African digital customer experience report, 21.5% male and 78,5% female consumers shopped online. Through segmentation, targeting and profiling statistics, businesses gain a more concise indication of where to sell their products and services, based on what they offer to each consumer within the online demographic.
People buy online, and most people have smartphones with internet access, so they spend most of their time online reading reviews and searching for products they like and value. People buy from brands that value what they value; they want to be part of the conversation and engage with brands to help them make informed decisions. Digital marketing is crucial to reach people in ways that show them respect and value them as human beings, not just consumers. Businesses should invest in digital marketing because it is the future of marketing, and the future is online!
