The Pros and Cons of Digital Marketing
In the business world, the rules in the marketing strategies may be changing, but some things retain their state.
Meanwhile, Digital marketing is something that cannot be ignored, but the processes used to reach people over the internet or through other digital outlets is very similar to successful traditional marketing efforts.
That makes it very easy to implement a digital marketing plan right now.
Before stepping into this world, the pros and cons of digital marketing should be considered so you can gauge the level of involvement you need for your next campaign. Here are some of the key points to be considered:
Pros of Digital Marketing
1. Digital marketing is very low cost
If you’re running a shoestring budget, then you can’t beat what digital marketing can provide. Some platforms can even be operated for free if you’re willing to put in the sweat equity to get results.
Even if you’re paying professionals for your digital marketing efforts, however, the costs can be up to 50-75% lower than comparable marketing efforts with the same potential outreach.
2. Digital marketing can access a massive audience
The issue you have with traditional marketing efforts is that you must target a generalized demographic. You can target TV viewers, for example, or radio program listeners or magazine readers. Direct mail can reach a specific zip code or neighborhood.
Digital marketing, however, can reach an entire globe. There is no limit to the scope of this process. As long as someone is connected to the internet in some way, you can reach them with a marketing message.
3. Digital marketing caters to multiple demographics simultaneously
This might be the biggest advantage you receive when implementing a digital marketing plan.No matter how specific your targeted demographics happen to be, you can have your message reach people within that group.
Gender, age, socioeconomic status, virtually everyone is online or can connect to the internet on a regular basis today.
4. Digital marketing is fast
According to Statistic Brain, the average attention span for someone online right now is 8.25 seconds. For the record – that’s shorter than the attention span of a goldfish.It’s a good thing then that digital marketing is fast enough to keep up with these shorter attention spans.
One status update, one helpful post, or one responsive comment is all that is needed to get your branding message to the top of a prospect’s mind.
5. Digital marketing creates brand interactions
Business transactions will always involve two components: how well you can solve a problem and how deep the relationship is you have with a customer.
Digital marketing encourages brand interactions, which helps you to build up effective relationships.
As long as your products, services, and digital marketing efforts offer a strong value proposition, you’ve always got an opportunity to make a sale.Digital marketing also offers you an opportunity to expand your customer service
Cons of Digital Marketing
1. Digital marketing is time-consuming
According to data compiled by Social Media Today, more than 60% of digital marketers report spending at least 6 hours per day on their digital marketing efforts.
About 1 in 3 digital marketers say that they spend 11+ hours working online every day.
This means it may not cost a lot to get a marketing campaign up and running from a financial standpoint, but you’ll need to make a solid sweat equity investment.
2. Digital marketing always creates negative public reactions
Digital marketing will attract plenty of people within a targeted demographic.
The only trouble is not every person is going to have a positive response to your efforts.There will be negative responses, especially from people who may feel like your brand has wronged them in some way.
There are trolls that may work to destroy your brand reputation because it’s “fun” for them to do.Scammers, spammers, and other trouble is lurking out there as well. You’ve got to have a thick skin when you’re working online today.
3. Digital marketing sometimes takes control out of your hands
Sometimes this can be a good thing because your campaign goes viral and you end up receiving a lot of unexpected exposure to your brand message.
It can also be a bad thing when someone takes your marketing campaign, publishes negative content about it, and their post ends up going viral.
You really can do everything right and still discover that your brand reputation has been tarnished at the end of the day.
4. Digital marketing can make it difficult to determine your ROI
Only 1 in 3 digital marketers report that they can reliably measure the results they receive from their digital marketing efforts.
Another 1 in 3 digital marketers say that they don’t know if they are measuring their metrics or Key Performance Indicators correctly.
The other digital marketer in that group of 3? they don’t even know how to measure their ROI.This is an area you’ve got to get sorted out before you get your campaign up and running.
5. Digital marketing campaigns are very easy to copy
It literally takes two clicks of the mouse to copy information from your campaign efforts.
Sometimes all that is needed to take away a market share from your efforts is to trade out one logo for another one.You must remain vigilant when marketing online to make sure that your efforts aren’t being used against you by your competitors at the end of the day.
6. Digital marketing judges you on first impressions
First impressions matter everywhere, of course, but they might be the most important aspect of a digital marketing effort.
If the first impression of your campaign is unprofessional in any way, your products or services aren’t going to be taken seriously by a majority of people who encounter it.
You must be targeting people in ways that are appropriate for your product or service in order to establish the positive first impression that is needed.
