A marketing component, digital marketing uses the internet and various online-based digital technologies such as computers, mobile phones, and other digital media platforms to promote products and services of the brands and companies representing the brands. The development of Digital marketing has completely changed the scenario of using technology for marketing by brands and businesses. As more and more people have started using digital platforms in everyday life, digital marketing campaigns have become prevalent in the market by making the use of search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing as well as influencer marketing, automation, campaign marketing, data-driven marketing, e-commerce marketing, social media marketing, social media optimization, email marketing, display advertising, e-books, and optical disks and games.
It is to be noted that the development of digital marketing is inseparable from technology development, and the rise of digital marketing has given a platform for businesses and brands to reach out to customers more closely.
Advantages of Digital Marketing
The advantages of digital marketing are numerous, among which a few are mentioned below.
1. Brand Development
A business is not just about the name and products of the company. Instead, it is the voice and the message of the brand, which is needed to be established in the market so that not only the brand receives a broader reach but also people look upon the brand as a trusted name. The main advantage of digital marketing is to build the brand through direct campaigns and personalized content to bring the customers much closer and make them experience the unique proposition and value of the brand.
- According to a study by Google, 53% of consumers conduct online research before they buy anything online. This shows that a strong brand presence online influences consumer buying behavior and purchase decisions.
- According to another study by Nielsen, it was found that social media advertising helps in increasing brand awareness by 74%.
- As per a study done by DemandMetric, it was found that 67% of the companies who have active blogs generate more leads monthly. This shows how important is building brand authority and thought leadership.
2. Personalization
Digital marketing campaigns impart the leverage of personalization. The indispensable advantage of digital marketing is its ability to find the target audience, interact with the prospects, and know exactly what they are looking for. Knowing and interacting with the audience is essential to brand loyalty and reputation.
Digital marketing gives businesses the platform for one-to-one or individual marketing, which will help the brand leverage among the competition by designing the content or advertising that gives the customers that the brand is addressing their individual needs. The brand is thoughtful towards the customers. Hence a sense of positivity is infused among the customers for the brand.
- As per a study done by Salesforce, personalized email campaigns could increase the open rates by 29% and CTR by 41%. It indicates that the personalization of digital marketing campaigns can help build stronger brand connections.
3. Wider Reach
Digital marketing helps expand the brand’s presence and creates a platform to reach many customers. The brand becomes global as digital marketing provides the platform for global display, allowing even newcomers and start-up brands to have an equal footing with big and established enterprises dominating the traditional market.
- As per Google data, YouTube reaches more 18+ audience during prime time than any other cable network in US.
4. Accessibility
The advantage of digital marketing is that it makes the brand accessible to the customer, as there is always a chance that existing customers may want to leave reviews for a good store experience and place a recommendation for their friends. Thus, digital marketing provides a platform for customers to pen down their reviews. Simultaneously, the prospective clients may also want to know the store location, services being offered, store hours, availability, and basically what the brand specializes in.
5. Greater Engagement
Digital marketing is advantageous as it allows the brand to get hold of the customer’s attention until the brand has successfully created brand loyalty and developed a credible reputation. Survival of the brand becomes easy when more people recognize the brand, and this can be achieved through digital marketing with regular blog posts, relevant and real-time social media content, and the use of customer-engaging posts like polls, event promotions, and promotional offers.
6. Lower Cost
The cost-efficient nature of digital marketing is immensely advantageous for businesses. Spending on digital marketing in comparison to traditional marketing campaigns is very less. The digital marketing methodology is easier than the difficult approach of traditional marketing, especially for small businesses, as they come with a limited budget for advertisement.
Disadvantages of Digital Marketing
With advantages come a few disadvantages of digital marketing.
1. High competition
The digital marketing campaign should be well thought out, stand out, grab attention, and impact the target audience since the competition has grown many folds recently. Any monotonous approach or repeated method will drive the brand out of the competition in no time. Digital marketing campaigns have become very competitive. Thus, brands must be relevant to the customers’ needs and be quick in responding.
2. Dependability on Technology
Digital marketing is purely based on technology, and the internet is prone to errors. There are times when the links may not work, landing pages may not load, and page buttons don’t simply do their job. This leads prospective customers to switch to other brands. Therefore, to avoid this, a test of the website is necessary. Also, proofreading the content and ensuring the campaigns will work on their targeted niche becomes important.
3. Time Consuming
One of the biggest disadvantages of digital marketing campaigns is their time-consuming nature. Unorganized tactics and strategies may consume a lot of time, and it becomes difficult to devote the desired time to the campaign. This will eventually lead to negative results. Therefore, it has been suggested to focus on a strategy that the company needs the most and plan and curate the content accordingly. Digital marketing tools like HubSpot, Ahrefs and social media posting, and scheduling tools like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck should be used to overcome the potential barriers.
4. Security and Privacy Issues
Security is the primary requirement for any brand. Hence website protection is something to be executed seriously as a digital marketer. Securing and safeguarding the network connections by using firewalls and encryption tools like VPN is always suggested. The basic approach of having a good antivirus is most desirable. The legal considerations in obtaining customer data for digital marketing strategies must be done with all required formalities. Protecting the customer data should be the top priority as it may be compromised during data breaches.
Pros and Cons of Digital Marketing with Valuable Data Points
| Pros | Cons | Additional Data |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-effective | Technical knowledge and skills required | Digital ad spending reached $455.30 billion in 2020 |
| Reach a large audience | High competition | Average click-through rate for Facebook ads is 0.9% |
| Target specific demographics | Privacy concerns and data security risks | In 2020, Google faced a $5 billion GDPR fine |
| Customizable and flexible | Potential for ad fatigue | Average conversion rate for e-commerce is 2.86% |
| Real-time results and analytics | Difficulty in measuring ROI | Only 22% of businesses are satisfied with their ROI |
| Easily track and adjust campaigns | Ad blockers can limit reach | Ad-blocking increased by 10% in 2020 |
| Enhance customer engagement and interaction | Affected by algorithm updates | 89% of marketers use Facebook for their campaigns |
| Can create personalized experiences | Constant updates and optimization required | 54% of consumers prefer personalized ads |
Conclusion
The main advantages and disadvantages of digital marketing will work out only if market research is not compromised by finding the best platform, creating the right content, taking note of its pros and cons, learning the perfect timing, and pushing up the brand. Whether traditional or digital, marketing is all about connecting to people at the right time and place.
