The shift to a digital world has completely revolutionised the way we can connect with our customers and deliver our marketing messages, and the opportunities available to launch and quickly grow a business are increasing exponentially. But we need to get our digital marketing strategies right AND avoid the digital mistakes…
Mobile Marketing Can Drive Outstanding Business Results
Mobile marketing gives you the ability to instantly message people who walk close by your store with special offers and invitations. When North-Face outdoor stores implemented a geo-fencing campaign like this, 79% of customers reported visiting the store more often, and 65% made a purchase as a result of the message.
Apps bring a whole new level of customer engagement – the Dominos personalised phone app and pizza builder tablet app have been a huge success, and according to Domino’s CEO Patrick Doyle, 45% of Domino’s sales are now coming through digital channels – that’s over $850 million dollars and up from 35% percent in 2013.
The refinement of targeted advertising means that we are able to get our message in front of exactly the right people at the right time. For example, with Gmail Sponsored Promotions advertising, you can directly target people who have received emails from your competitors – so if you are a travel business, you can get your ad in front of people who are currently receiving emails from flightcentre.com.au or smartraveller.gov.au
Social Media Marketing Dangers!
Social media gives us the ability to create communities and conversations around our brands, launch new products and learn what customers love and hate about our business, giving the opportunity to improve and provide the best experience possible.
But this wealth of opportunity may also be the death nell for many owners and operators who aren’t prepared to keep up. Many business owners have fallen into paralysis from the sheer overwhelm of possibilities, and even the big companies have been stung by misjudging their use of digital marketing tools.
When McDonald’s launched the hashtag #McDStories they expected people to share their nostalgic memories of eating at McDonalds when they were young – but within hours the tag had been hijacked by people telling horror stories about finding fingernails in burgers and being hospitalised for food poisoning.
Don’t Forget Mobile Friendly Web Design…
Even some large corporate giants still don’t have the very basics of digital marketing in place, like a mo
bile friendly website. This is no longer an “option” – it is a MUST. Not only will you be penalised in search engine rankings without it, you’ll be losing business. According to Comscore, 79% of mobile searches for local business information result in a purchase – if you aren’t in the search results and showing properly on mobile devices, your business will literally become invisible.
There is no doubt that your business must implement digital marketing to be successful in the future, but the true key to success is KNOWLEDGE. Understanding what tools and strategies support your online goals and direction, how you should allocate your time and money across the many digital strategies available.
Whether you are a business owner or employee, it is essential to understand the fundamentals of Digital Marketing, website design and online strategies so you can make informed decisions to help business boom in the future.
You can get the online digital education and skills to set yourself up for the future by clicking here.
