Which Digital Marketing Channels are most Effective

It won’t be an exaggeration if it is said that the Digital Marketing Sector is in boom today. Yes, this was not the marketing scenario around a couple of decades ago. Things have drastically changed over time. Now going digital is the mantra to survive and sustain in the long run.

So what do you see nowadays?

Social media platforms are flooded with eye-catching graphics of ads. The companies working on e-commerce are making huge profits and swaying the markets with their offers and products. Be it the service sector, FMCG or any other sector, whether it is B to B or B to C sales you are aiming for, putting one’s best foot forward through the digital medium is the latest buzz in the biz.

The transition from conventional marketing to digital marketing did not happen in one day. Even today, the conventional medium plays a big role, but striking the right chord with the audience or customers happens at a faster pace through digital marketing. Brand building, reaching out to a larger audience across boundaries and cultures, getting an international exposure with minimal investment, is possible via the channel of digital marketing.

Here a major role is played by the digital marketing firms, who have digital marketing experts always ready to deliver their best to their clients. This is more about being creative and strategic in presentation and approach when it comes to marketing, brand building. Cashing in on the ROI is possible only through effective digital marketing and a good marketing budget. Tracking ROI can be difficult with complex marketing campaigns. The more one understands the concept of ROI the more one can have the power and control over the investments. For all this, businesses need to choose the most effective digital marketing channels most suited to their offerings.

Let us have a look at the marketing channels.

This list comprises of the most popular digital marketing channels opted by the experts and companies.

• Social media marketing
• Search engine optimization
• Email marketing
• Content marketing
• Affiliate marketing
• Display marketing
• Online PR

With so many options available it often becomes a tricky affair to choose the optimum channel. So let’s get deep into the subject. From an ROI point of view for generating revenue and increasing sales the most important channels for industries like automotive, consumer packaged goods, retail, telecoms, technology, and travels, according to research and analysis are:

Social media- 79%- this includes all the social media channels.

Search –73%- the keywords used to research a particular product or service.

Emails-59%- emails are sent to new or old customers to provide information on the launch of a product or service or any offers and discounts. Here relevance of content plays a major role.

Mobile videos-56%- eye-catching visuals and videos attract customers. But the relevance of the advertisement plays a major role.

Online display-55%- online displays and highlighting their bestseller products on their websites or the discounted items on the sites is one way to attract customers.

Linear TV- 51%- running commercial ad campaigns in local TV channels is another way to connect to the customers.

Mobile display- 44%- displays on cars, taxis, buses and other vehicles, where an ad campaign can be conducted on vehicles is also another way of attracting customers.

OTT-TV/Connected TV- 26%- in this medium ads are run continuously on the channels, this hits the psyche of the customers thus prompting them to buy a certain product.

Direct mail-25%- in this medium direct letters, about sales, promos are sent to target customers and clients, or existing customers, to inform them about new launches and discounts.

Radio- 23%- radio is cost-effective as this is more audible and has a direct impact on the customers.

Out of home- 20%- this kind of marketing is outdoor advertising, that reaches out to consumers while they are outside their homes. So in this way, one is still connected to their targeted customers.

Considering some of these digital and non-digital mediums and the numbers, the picture is clearer now. Each medium plays a different role in marketing different products in different markets.

For example for an agriculture industry selling its pesticides, seeds, fertilizers billboards, radio, TV print media, and other display methods would work well. This is so because their target customer is a farmer who may not be a tech-savvy person who would indulge in other digital marketing channels.

Similarly, for an ebook store launching its exclusive section for kids and new moms, their target customers would be small kids and their mothers especially. So hitting the right chord through the right marketing medium to their prospective customers would be a good idea. Facebook, emails, SMS, WhatsApp messages Pinterest and Instagram showing their store and books collection images would be a good idea.

The company and the CMO and their digital marketing team must decide on their strategy depending upon their budget, product, and targeted customer. As per estimation, around 98% of heads are drawn towards billboard and out- of – home ads, but nowadays most of the purchasing or business is happening online. So it is more about being smart marketing than just any marketing plan.

The role of a digital marketing agency is pivotal when it comes to market a product or a service. Each marketing channel happens to be effective in a different case. So thorough research, knowledge of the medium, the product/service to be marketed and the company is a must-have thing.

Here once the marketing is done, the analytics show us the picture of the marketing campaign in black and white. So using similar tools like:

• Google analytics
• SumoMe
• UberSuggest
• Yoast
• MeetEdger
• Hootsuite
• Activecampaign
• Tailwind
• Hatchback
• HubSpot Sales

Will give a clear picture and one can decide on the best and effective digital marketing channel.

It is not only about the right marketing channel, but also the right content and graphics that draw the attention. The right content is the base of any digital marketing campaign. This is to be clubbed with the right channel and medium when targeting the search optimization medium. More emphasis on keywords that would appear on searches should be paid. When choosing email marketing it should lead to “call to action”. And moreover, it should not be like a spam mail. While opting for an email marketing campaign it should always go with an “unsubscribe” option, so as to enable un-subscribing if the person is not interested in receiving emails. Spamming should always be avoided as it is a major put off thing in email marketing.

Marketing is not a one-day thing. It’s a continuous process, right from day one of the product launches to its sales, then taking it to the next level until another product or service is launched. So, one has to be quite creative and innovative in implementing marketing strategies.

As Jay Baer rightly said, “content is fire, social media is gasoline”. And as the definition of marketing rightly says “marketing is to convert human needs into wants”.

So following this mantra and choosing the best channels and mediums one can start to strategic steps with low budgets and cost-effective approaches for digital marketing and reap the fruits of collective efforts further.