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Learn how digital marketing efforts drive business success in the modern world

From a general standpoint, marketing is the practice of identifying and satisfying customer needs. This is a particularly important task in the business context, as successful marketing efforts can drive inbound leads and attract a large customer case. The traditional marketing cycle involves an analysis of market orientation, product mix and business environment. Even though marketing has deep roots in business history and culture, digital marketing is a relatively new practice.

With the explosion of digital technology—including widespread and pervasive use of computers and smartphones—businesses began to experiment with new marketing tactics. Thus, digital marketing was born.

Fast forward to the present and digital marketing is as important, if not more so, than traditional marketing methods. This divide seems destined to grow wider over time, as many businesses are diverting funds from traditional to digital marketing methods. Taken as a whole, it is vital for businesses to plan and execute a viable digital marketing strategy.

What Are the Basics of Digital Marketing?

In a nutshell, digital marketing refers to any marketing methods conducted through electronic devices which utilize some form of a computer. This includes online marketing efforts conducted on the internet. In the process of conducting digital marketing, a business might leverage websites, search engines, blogs, social media, video, email and similar channels to reach customers.

Unlike traditional marketing—which is static and often referred to as “one-way” communication—digital marketing is an ever-changing, dynamic process. Stated otherwise, customers cannot interact with business through a billboard or print ad, whereas digital marketing provides an avenue for two-way communication between a business and its actual or prospective customers.

These days, screen time is at an all-time high for many people. Digital marketing takes advantage of this reality, promoting business products and services across the internet. In this way, businesses ensure that their marketing efforts are more likely to reach customers, by targeting them where they spend most of their time.

From startups to enterprise businesses, a multifaceted digital marketing approach can lead to significant commercial benefits. Successful digital marketing strategy generally involves a combination of various methods, including online advertising, search engine optimization and marketing, social media marketing and management and content creation, among others.

Are There Different Ways to Conduct Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is a broad term that encompasses many different channels for promoting business interests to prospective customers. Depending on the business needs and goals, there are countless ways to conduct digital marketing. It is not a cookie-cutter exercise.

That being said, there are several common methods for conducting digital marketing, including:

More specifically, digital marketing can help businesses achieve any or all of the following benefits:

Overall, businesses of every shape and size can achieve powerful benefits through effective use of digital marketing methods. Furthermore, the cost of digital marketing can be tailored to each specific business, stripping many barriers to entry of traditional methods. With so many benefits available for just about any budget, it makes sense why so many businesses are succeeding with digital marketing efforts.

As the list above indicates, there are numerous ways to execute a digital marketing strategy. For most businesses, successful inbound marketing involves the use and application of multiple digital marketing methods.

What Benefits Can I Achieve Through Digital Marketing?

Given the diversity of digital marketing methods, there is a similarly diverse set of benefits available for digitally savvy benefits. On an overarching level, digital marketing enables businesses to reach customers during everyday activities, such as scanning social media, reading online articles, watching videos, etc. When customers are exposed to marketing in this type of natural and regular manner, it can yield a variety of commercial benefits.

More specifically, digital marketing can help businesses achieve any or all of the following benefits:

How Much Will Digital Marketing Cost My Business?

The simple answer is that there is a digital marketing strategy for every budget. The flexibility of digital marketing strategies yields benefits for just about every size of business, from small to large. With such a wide range of methods and strategies, it is not possible to provide a one-size-fits-all price tag for digital marketing.

Instead, it is helpful to examine the digital marketing spend for different levels of business, as small companies will spend less than larger ones. For example:

As demonstrated above, the cost of digital marketing varies greatly based on business size, revenue and goals. Smaller companies will often start with a basic strategy and develop intermediate or advanced methods down the road. Ultimately, it is possible for just about every business to create and implement a digital marketing strategy that meets their needs and budget.

How Do I Create and Implement a Digital Marketing Strategy?

The process for creating and implementing a digital marketing strategy involves many steps and required considerations. In this context, it is critical to devote time and resources to planning and creation. Information, analytics and research collected while planning and creating can have a tremendous impact during implementation.

It is true that every business has unique needs and goals. Correspondingly, the creation and implementation of a digital marketing strategy will change from business to business. But in common practice, many businesses employ a similar process for creating and implementing a digital marketing strategy, as outlined below.

An effective digital marketing strategy must take into the account the individual needs and goals of the business in question. Accordingly, a digital marketing strategy that works for a small “mom-and-pop” store is likely inappropriate for a global brand. The good news is that digital marketing offers a wide range of methods, channels and strategies. So, businesses of just about any size and in just about any industry can leverage digital marketing to great effect.

Types of Digital Marketing Channels

As noted above, marketing was traditionally done through print (newspapers and magazines) and broadcast ads (TV and radio). These are channels that still exist today. Digital marketing channels have evolved and continue to do so. The following are eight of the most common avenues that companies can take to boost their marketing efforts. Keep in mind that some companies may use multiple channels in their efforts.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Digital Marketing

Another key point to remember is that digital marketers use key performance indicators (KPIs) just like traditional marketers. KPIs are quantifiable ways that companies can measure long-term performance by comparing them to their competition. This includes corporate strategies, financial goals and achievements, operational activities, and even marketing campaigns.

The following are some of the most common KPIs that marketers can use to help companies achieve their goals:

Digital Marketing Challenges

Digital marketing poses special challenges for its purveyors. Digital channels proliferate rapidly, and digital marketers have to keep up with how these channels work, how they’re used by receivers, and how to use these channels to effectively market their products or services.

It’s becoming more difficult to capture receivers’ attention because receivers are increasingly inundated with competing ads. Digital marketers also find it challenging to analyze the vast troves of data they capture and then exploit this information in new marketing efforts.

The challenge of capturing and using data effectively highlights that digital marketing requires an approach to marketing based on a deep understanding of consumer behavior. For example, it may require a company to analyze new forms of consumer behavior, such as using website heatmaps to learn more about the customer journey.

Implicit Bias in Digital Marketing

Implicit bias can seep into digital marketing, despite efforts to prevent it. It refers to automatic, unconscious attitudes and stereotypes towards certain groups. Algorithms play a crucial role in digital marketing strategies, but they are created by individuals who may harbor their own biases. Even simple actions like using stock photos can perpetuate bias, unintentionally excluding diverse groups.

What Is SEO in Digital Marketing?

Search engine optimization or SEO is the way that companies are able to increase their traffic through search engines with the goal of pushing their websites and names at the top of any search results page. This can be through search results done organically or editorially. When companies are able to successfully apply SEO in their digital marketing strategies, their names and websites become increasingly visible to more consumers.

What Is Internet Marketing?

Internet marketing is any marketing that takes place solely on the internet. This means it exclusively appears on websites. It is different from digital marketing, which includes internet marketing as well as marketing on social media sites, and mobile apps. These marketing campaigns can take place through smartphones, digital devices, and other platforms.

How Can I Become a Digital Marketer?

Digital marketers require strong writing skills along with data analytics and social media skills. A bachelor’s degree is needed for most digital marketing positions, in a business field such as marketing, or a related field such as communications. You may also want to take courses or bootcamps specifically in digital marketing. In addition, completing an internship while in school can be useful.2 A master’s degree in digital marketing may be useful but is not necessary to get into the digital marketing field.

What Skills Are Needed in Digital Marketing?

You need to be skillful in writing content along with communication skills to effectively tell your product’s story to your consumer base. Data analytics skills are important for understanding how well your marketing campaigns are performing and where they can be improved. Finally, social media and other online skills are a must.

The Bottom Line

Some of the world’s biggest advertising campaigns were executed through traditional means. The Marlboro Man was very popular in print while Wendy’s wowed individuals with its “Where’s the beef?” tagline. But changes in the way people consume media forced companies to shift their focus. Digital marketing is now just as big, if not bigger, than traditional advertising and marketing tools. This includes the algorithms used in digital marketing campaigns. When used properly, they can help avoid implicit bias. The main thing to keep in mind is that as technology continues to change, you can also expect digital marketing to evolve.

What You Will Learn

Gain an understanding of the motivations behind data collection and analysis methods used by marketing professionals
Understand frameworks and approaches to measuring consumers’ digital actions
Learn to evaluate and choose appropriate web analytics tools and techniques
Earn familiarity with the unique measurement opportunities and challenges presented by New Media

Skills You Will Gain

Digital Marketing
Marketing
Pricing Strategies
Marketing Mix
Product Strategies
Data Collection
Analytics
Data Analysis
Data Visualization (DataViz)
Marketing Analytics
Marketing Performance
Marketing Channel

About this Specialization

Master strategic marketing concepts and tools to address brand communication in a digital world.

This Specialization explores several aspects of the new digital marketing environment, including topics such as digital marketing analytics, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and 3D Printing. When you complete the Digital Marketing Specialization you will have a richer understanding of the foundations of the new digital marketing landscape and acquire a new set of stories, concepts, and tools to help you digitally create, distribute, promote and price products and services.

In 2016, this was one of the top 10 specializations in terms of enrollments. INC Magazine rated the first course, Marketing in a Digital World, as one of The 10 Hottest Online Classes for Professionals in 2015. In addition, this course was also ranked in the top five courses across multiple MOOC providers. Finally, the Digital Marketing Certificate was the top coveted certificate on Diana’s in 2015.

Take Courses

A Diana Digital Marketing Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly. When you book this course that as part of a Specialization, will be given with the dates of your training with a live expert to help you go forward with the training

Every Specialization course like this includes an internal assessment. You’ll need to successfully finish the course and pass the assessment with an aggregate of 75 % to earn your certificate. Every Course at Diana allows you a minimum of 3 attempts to pass the internal assessment post in which the certificate of Merit is added to the Delegate Login->Accomplishment section. Also a hard copy of the certificate will be posted at your registered address

Master Digital Marketing

18 Mini courses 24 hours

Digital marketing has dramatically changed how organizations connect with their customers. In this comprehensive learning path, gain profound knowledge of how social media marketing and SEO work, learn to use the right tools and techniques, and discover best practices in this field.

Learn the fundamentals of digital marketing.
Discover how to use social media in your marketing strategy.
Identify how to use SEO principles and analyze site SEO.

Earn a Certificate

You’ll need to successfully finish the course and pass the assessment with an aggregate of 75 % to earn your certificate. Every Course at Diana allows you a minimum of 3 attempts to pass the internal assessment post in which the certificate of Merit is added to the Delegate Login->Accomplishment section. Also a hard copy of the certificate will be posted at your registered address