“Take a risk and keep testing, because what works today won’t work tomorrow, but what worked yesterday may work again.” – Amrita Sahasrabudhe

This quote somewhat explains what digital marketing is all about. It is about taking a risk, trying new things, and facing different challenges. Digital marketing can teach you many things. But before learning how it works, it is best to learn its history and how it came to be.

The History of Digital Marketing

Learning the definition of something is equal to learning about its history. First of all, what is digital marketing? What does it do?

Digital marketing, as you might know, is a form of marketing. It is a kind of marketing which is about “advertising delivered through digital channels such as search engines, websites, social media, email, and mobile apps.” It is the “promotion of products or brands via one or more forms of electronic media.”

In short, digital marketing is about advertising or promotion with the use of technology since electronic media or channels need technology to work. How then, did it all start? And when, exactly, was the word first used?

The term “digital marketing” is a relatively new word as it was only first used in the 90s. However, what it was all about was introduced in the 80s, when computers became more advanced and could store more data.

In 1993, the first search engine came out and it was called “Archie,” an FTP sites’ index.

It was also in 1993 when the first clickable banner happened. It was at this time when a company called Hotwired bought banner ads for the advertisement of websites, thus heralding the birth of online advertising.

In 1994, another search engine called Yahoo came out.  Consider Yahoo as the reason why people now search the Internet because when it was launched, people started to use it to look for information online.

As the years went by, different search engines came out. It was also the time when SEO or search engine optimization was the talk of the town between marketers. Then, the rise of Google began in 1998. Google was the most used search engine at the time. As big search engine companies dominated the online world, the small ones were either left behind or gone.

The year 2000 was the start of a new millennium. Many things happened in this year. One was the launching of Web 2.0 sites which paved the way for user-generated content and what is now known as social media. Another significant breakthrough of the year 2000 was the materialization of WordPress, which was a great tool for would –be marketing professionals.

Much more contributed to the success of digital marketing. Companies like Twitter, Facebook and even Google+ added to what is now known as digital marketing. Even the release of iPhones had a significant impact on digital marketing.

Today, to say that digital marketing is widely used is an understatement. In fact, it is one of the most important things for marketers and companies who want to advertise their products.

The Pioneers of Digital Marketing

Part of the history of digital marketing are the people who made it possible, the pioneers and those we call the innovators. Now, who are these people? They are spouses Robert and Kate Kestnbaum. Robert Kestnbaum was the one who developed “several landmark database marketing solutions for BT and Barclays.” He did it with Robert Shaw, who is considered the father of marketing automation.

Robert Kestnbaum                                           Kate Kestnbaum                                              Robert Shaw

The Importance of Digital Marketing

Why, then, is digital marketing important? How can it possibly help people from all walks of life?

Well, based on its definition, it is important because it helps various businesses and advertisers promote anything on a large scale basis by going online and using the Internet. Nowadays, people go to places, and they have their phones and laptops with them all the time.

With the use of digital marketing, advertisers and business owners are now nearer to consumers. The gap between them is easily being bridged by digital marketing. They communicate without really having to face each other physically.

Benefits of Digital Marketing

Below are some of the advantages of digital marketing:

Cost-saving. Yes, using digital marketing is cheaper than traditional marketing. All that advertisers should think about is how to get people to look at their advertisements. Facebook and other social media are platforms that they can use to market a product or anything under the sun. And everyone knows that Facebook is free.

Compare this with traditional marketing where marketers will have to pay a large amount of money for the publication of their advertisements in a newspaper, radio, or on television.

Another is the “ease with which results can be tracked and monitored.” Because everything is conducted digitally, marketers just have to use programs which can tabulate and analyze the results of everything going on such as the reach of their advertisements and how potential clients are responding to the methods they use to endorse their products and services.

In traditional marketing, marketers will have to go out there and conduct research. Field research can be costly and hard to accomplish. So, by using digital marketing, they can also save money as well resources.

Small Businesses and the Digital World

With these important benefits, anyone will know that digital marketing is essential. And this is exactly true for companies, no matter how big or small they may be.

For small businesses, they must keep in mind that they should take advantage of this so-called digital marketing. If you own a small business, you might want to continue reading.

It might be unwise to think that because you have a small business or you are just starting, you cannot use digital marketing. Remember, you can gain more from using it to your advantage. Here are some digital marketing strategies that you may follow to help your business thrive and compete with other businesses on the market.

• First, look at other companies. Research on how successful companies use digital marketing for their business. However, this does not mean that you should copy them. Look at those companies and get inspiration from them. Since you are just starting, there is no harm in learning from others. Study the methods that work for their particular business model, and brainstorm on how you can adapt their method to suit your own niche and target market.
• Next, learn to understand your audience. Who are you trying to impress if not your would-be customers? They should be the center of your attention. The products and services you are seeking to will be bought or tried by them, depending on how active your advertisements are.
• This part is where feedback and forums come in. Through feedback, you will know how your audience receives what you are offering. As for the forums, it is also important because it is where your customers may interact with others, especially when it comes to how they react to your services and products. It is also where you can communicate with them directly and attend to their concerns personally.
• Then, you should also consider learning about search engine optimization (SEO). Search engine optimization is beneficial in the digital world. It is the “name given to activity that attempts to improve search engine rankings.” Knowing the basics of SEO will aid your business to achieve greater heights.
• For small businesses, it is also a must to think what kind of marketing you are going to use. You can only choose one since this requires money. Try your best to weigh the ups and downs of using the different forms of marketing as this will affect how your business will be.

Digital Marketing vs. Other Methods

There is no denying that digital marketing has been so successful through the years. But this does not mean that other forms of marketing are lost. They are still being used by various businesses, depending on how effective they can be given the target market.

The right side of traditional marketing is that when your target is local, then you are more likely to reach them. You can use television, radio, or newspaper advertisements to let people know about your business.

The problem with traditional marketing is that it can be a one-way medium and there is almost no interaction between the medium you use and your customers. You don’t get to communicate with your clients. It is more like showing them your product with the hopes of attracting their interest. There is no guarantee here.

In digital marketing, aside from being cost-efficient and cheap, you can reach people in different parts of the world. Your audiences are not only local, but they can also become international. Also, since the Internet is free, you can communicate with customers personally.

Also, in digital marketing, as earlier stated, there is easier tracking and monitoring of your results. You do not have to go out personally and conduct studies or research. You can do it all online.

Why Use Digital Marketing?

If you have read this far, you should have known by now about the history, definition, benefits, and importance of digital marketing. You should have already thought about using it for your benefit.

Of course, not everything is perfect. But you do not have to think about that as of the moment. You should reflect on how digital marketing can help you and your business grow. After all, that is all that matters.

Generating sales is your end goal. And by using digital marketing, you can achieve that, provided that you know what you are doing and that you put your clients into consideration.

The Downside of Digital Marketing

While it has advantages, digital marketing also has its disadvantages. One is that since information is readily available, there is a possibility that the information you got is not updated. So, it is very crucial that marketers regularly update data from time to time.

Next, a lot of web visitors and customers will often want to get something for free. Why does this happen? It is because you also have to pay for the website you are using, the people making your advertisements and banners. So when customers do not pay, how else will you compensate these people?

And lastly, since the Internet is free, anyone can use it. This situation also means possible competitors. Therefore, you are obligated to step up your strategies. You cannot just sit back and relax. You have to always think of ways to improve your advertisements, and even your products or services. Keep your data updated and truthful.

Looking at these disadvantages, they are not that hard to overcome. In fact, you just have to make it certain that what you want to be advertised will get the attention of people out there.

How Dallas, TX, Businesses Are Growing

Same with the rest of the world, companies, and businesses in Dallas, Texas, know how important the role of digital marketing is. There are even lots of digital marketing agencies online, ready to help small, medium, and even large companies promote their businesses.

These digital marketing agencies, whether based in Dallas or not, will help you achieve the promotion your business needs. They provide different services like website design and teaching you about search engine optimization.

Just like the business in Dallas, Texas, your company can and will grow, but only if you know what to follow. Digital marketing guides and strategies are available anywhere. The Internet made sure of that.

In the end, it all comes down to knowing about the good and bad side of digital marketing. The downside will not matter when you use the upside correctly. However, knowing what these disadvantages are will also make you aware if you are doing something right or wrong.

Conclusion

And there you have it. These are the things that you should know about digital marketing. This is just a summary. There are lots more that you have to learn about digital marketing. This is just a start.

Whether your purpose for learning about digital marketing is for business or to expand your knowledge, you have seen that digital marketing is now significant in the 21^st century. This is now the trend.

You have to adapt to this ever-changing world. Because if you don’t, you might be left behind. In a matter of almost three decades, the world went from traditional to digital marketing. Who knows what will happen in a span of five or 10 years?

Therefore, it is better that you understand now what digital marketing is all about. You will never know when your knowledge about it will come in handy. You can become the person managing a business in the future and what you learned about digital marketing from here, you can apply there.