Fundamentals of digital marketing

What are the fundamentals of digital marketing and why it’s an important marketing strategy for any business thriving to success online.

The world of digital marketing is constantly changing. New trends and efficient practices enter the market every day. As a result, companies are dependent upon effective digital marketing campaigns to increase visibility and sales growth. 

There is a wide range of information available regarding the fundamentals of digital marketing. With online courses and lengthy videos available on the internet, learning digital marketing at home is remarkably simple. All you need is a reliable resource and a stable internet connection. 

If you are interested in working as a digital marketer, this guide can help you learn all the skills you need. 

Fundamentals of digital marketing

If you search for the fundamentals of digital marketing on search engines today, you will get a wide range of answers. Some might say that it is about search engine optimization (SEO), while others goes to mention all from pay per click campaigns, search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing, content marketing, influencer marketing, online behavioural advertising, data-driven advertising, remarketing, game advertising, affiliate marketing, display advertising, email marketing…

Before you get confused, here is a simple definition of digital marketing. Digital marketing is the process of promoting products or services on the Internet. It includes making use of search engines like Google and social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. 

More companies are now switching from traditional marketing to digital marketing. With the increased usage of the internet, brands know that the key to success is to sell their products online.

When you use digital marketing as part of brand development, you can quickly create a loyal customer base. The development of a positive brand image is the key to success in digital marketing. Regular interaction with customers is also equally important. 

The field of digital marketing can be rather diverse. It includes skills such as search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, social media marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, affiliate marketing, content marketing, and much more. 

Learning the fundamentals of digital marketing at home

Did you know that digital marketers can earn an average salary of $107,100? No wonder so many people are now interested in this field. 

In the past, developing a career meant getting a formal education. However, the world is changing now. Becoming a successful digital marketer only requires the development of a few crucial skills. These skills can help you combine multiple online marketing technologies effectively. The best part of it all is that you can quickly learn everything at home.

The only things you will need are patience, perseverance, and a drive to gain new knowledge. 

Here are a few fundamentals of digital marketing that you should learn as a digital marketer: 

1. Search engine marketing or search engine optimization (SEO)

Whenever someone has a query, they use a search engine like Google, Yahoo or Bing to search for it. Statistics show that Google receives over 92,000 searches per second. Thus, search engine marketing is the first vital component of digital marketing.  

In search engine marketing, the key objective is to make your website rank high in the search engine’s results. When a potential customer searches for a keyword, your website should immediately pop up on their screen – even better as a high authority brand for that searched keyword.

Since 67% of clicks go to the first five results displayed on search engines, it is essential to make your brand website rank as high as possible.

Making your website rank high is a process that requires both time and patience. The integration of the right keywords alongside helpful information on your website is the key to success. 

Remember that search engine marketing continues to evolve. As a result, you will be required to conduct keyword searches regularly that help you stay ahead of your competitors in SEO ranking.

2. Pay per click (PPC) marketing

Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing is another essential part of digital marketing. These ads will be directed to your specific audience. On Facebook, the geographical location or gender of your target audience can be specified to produce better results. 

However, PPC does come with a price attached to it. Every time a customer clicks on your website through a paid advertisement, you will have to pay for it. 

The most reliable PPC tool in the market is Google Ads. By paying Google, you can display your website higher on the search engine. You can also advertise on other Google-owned products like Gmail and YouTube. To place your ads on other registered websites, you can use Google AdSense. 

Learning PPC is no rocket science. If you want to get a PPC certification, then we recommend this free course offered by Google. 

However, remember that getting a certification does not make you a specialist in PPC marketing. Practical experience and knowledge will always help you more than any course or certificate in the market.

As you start placing ads, you can use analytics to determine which one’s are effective and which one’s are not. With this information, you can eventually make your PPC marketing strategy even better.

3. Content marketing

All digital marketing strategies begin with the right content. Customers should be able to find relevant and brief information on your website. Content marketing is essential to develop a loyal customer base and high engagement rates with potential customers. 

Content marketing means identifying and creating the type of content that your audience is looking for. Do not give your customers repetitive information that is also available on other websites. Instead, focus on creating unique content that provides value. 

Research shows that customer testimonials and case studies are the most effective form of content marketing. Make sure you share success stories on your website to attract more customers. 

For content marketing, writing skills, SEO copywriting, and thorough research are important. If you integrate visual content on your landing pages alongside written content, you can improve conversions by up to 86%. 

4. Social media marketing

There are 1.5 million social media users in the world. Imagining a life without Facebook and Instagram is becoming harder with each passing day. As a digital marketer, you should take advantage of this fact and integrate your digital marketing strategies into social media platforms.

Social media marketing can help companies develop a positive brand image. If customers are praising your product or service on social media, word-of-mouth will help you attract new customers. 

Social media marketing is simply the process of using various platforms to promote your product or service. Since social media is interactive, it is easy to connect with potential customers and gain their trust. 

Since 55% of buyers conduct research on social media before making a purchase, it is important to develop a strong brand image on these platforms. Try to gain as many positive reviews from customers as possible. In addition, you should always keep your social media accounts updated with the latest information about your company. 

To step into social media marketing, Facebook offers a range of online courses that can teach you everything about Facebook’s Paid Campaigns. After you pay a fee, Facebook will display your company’s ads on the feeds of your target audience. 

If you are new to social media marketing, it might be a good idea to only focus on one platform first. Once you become more specialized, you can easily expand your horizons to other platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Remember that each social media app has a slightly different audience. For example, Instagram users prefer visual content. On the other hand, Twitter users are more attracted to written content. 

Remember to optimize your marketing strategy according to the social media platform that you are using. The key is to attract as many customers towards your brand as possible by engaging with them. 

5. Email marketing

One of the oldest forms of digital marketing is email marketing. Although many people believe that is no longer effective, research shows that email marketing still has a 4400% ROI. 

Statistics show that customers open welcome emails from companies up to 82% of the time. Once you find a new customer, you should know how to retain them. It is also important to convert visitors into loyal customers. 

The most successful email marketing campaigns are those that provide value to the customer. Instead of sending automated emails every day, get to know your audiences’ preferences first. 

Research the kind of content your customers are looking for. Then, use email marketing to provide them with valuable information as well as exclusive deals.

You can treat email marketing as the last step to closing a deal with your customers. Other forms of marketing can easily attract new customers to your brand. However, retaining customers and developing a brand image can successfully be done through email marketing. 

In the digital world, 49% of users reported opening their emails on mobile devices. It is important to keep this detail in mind when you design your email marketing campaigns. Remember to optimize your emails for various mobile devices to receive the best possible response from customers. 

6. Inbound marketing

Once you understand all the other components of digital marketing, you need inbound marketing to tie it all together. The goals of marketing strategies include: 

• attract new customers,
• develop a loyal customer base, 
• provide value, 
• develop a brand image for your company. 

Instead of using digital marketing strategies in isolation, you should tie them all together through inbound marketing. 

If you want to be a successful digital marketer, you need to develop strategies that combine a range of digital marketing tactics to provide the best possible outcome. 

How to become a successful digital marketer

There is more to digital marketing than skill development. One can learn about SEO and PPC, but still not be a successful digital marketer. Digital marketing is clearly about engaging with your audience in a way that connects with them. 

Here are a few more tips that can help you become a successful digital marketer: 

1. Develop listening skills

Are you only focused on content creation and business promotion? Unfortunately, this is one of the most common mistakes made by digital marketers. 

Marketing should involve two-way communication. Before you give your audience more content, you need to start listening. Analyze market trends and understand what the consumer needs. 

Developing listening skills in the world of digital marketing means gathering data and analyzing the needs of your target audience. Focus on the type of content that they prefer seeing. For example, if you are selling a product, your audience may prefer visual content. If you are providing a service, then written testimonials can help you gain clients. 

It is also important to read the reviews your brand receives on social media. You should know what the overall perception regarding your brand is. Also, take a look at the reviews of your competitors.

Such listening skills will help you understand the perspective of the customer. Then, through effective digital marketing tactics, you can appeal to potential customers easily. 

2. Writing and editing

Digital marketing requires exceptional content. 

Writing and editing does not mean producing 5 articles every day for your website blog. Instead, it means creating the type of content that is relevant and informative. 

Your content should be interesting enough for the target audience to make a purchase. For instance, you can highlight the various benefits of using your product or create blogs that provide new ideas to the customer.

Remember that the content you produce should not be overly time-bound. For instance, if a potential customer reads your articles months after publication, they should still find valuable information. 

Final thoughts

Working in the field of digital marketing means constantly upgrading your skillset. However, the best part is that you can easily learn all of these skills at home.

Employers often have a range of expectations from digital marketers, which is why it is important for you to rise to success. 

Additionally, it is also important to remain patient with your marketing strategies. Even if your new SEO strategy did not work today, it might need a few changes before it can be used again. 

Digital marketing is certainly not as complicated as it sounds. A successful career in digital marketing can begin with developing some essential skills such as SEO and social media marketing. 

As you put these skills into practice, you will learn more about the industry in no time.