Digital Marketing 101

Digital marketing is a key ingredient of any new business. Why? Because it's effective when done correctly and can be executed with little to no money. But what exactly is digital marketing? In basic terms, it's using your online presence and content to get people to buy your product or service (or do whatever else you're trying to accomplish). Take a look at these basic digital marketing tips to get you on the right track:

What Basic Digital Platforms Do You Need?
Every company can start by "owning" certain types of digital media. These owned channels are ones that are created by you, and they're where you try to drive traffic to get your target audience interested in your business. Digital platforms your business should own include a website, landing pages, a blog, social media profiles and a mobile presence. Read on for more about how to use each of these digital channels effectively.

Create Great Content
Your website and its landing pages are the foundation of your digital marketing strategy because they're where your online lead conversions will take place – in other words, they're where people will make an actual purchase or enroll in a program. Your blog is a crucial part of your digital content strategy for a few reasons: It helps your company become a thought leader in your industry, it creates content that will (hopefully) show up on search engines and it drives people back to your website. The content you post on your blog should be varied, interesting and accurate. Make blog posts that are fun and shareable, and include other types of media, such as video blogs, graphics and even podcasts. 

Get Social 
Social media is an essential part of any marketing strategy no matter what. But it's especially vital if your target audience is younger. You can use your social media pages (including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and any other platform) to post your own content, but don't limit yourself to just that. You should also be posting other interesting content you think your target market would enjoy, as well as engaging with your followers and other businesses. In other words, don't just post on social media – be present, active and involved. Remember that it's often a good idea to invest a little bit of money into promoting your social media posts or targeting a specific demographic or geographic location.

Take Advantage of Mobile
According to Forbes, the majority of men and women (73 percent and 63 percent, respectively) check their phones at least once every hour. That's why it's so important for companies to make use of the mobile platform. This means your website and blog should either have their own mobile sites or at least be mobile-friendly. If possible, though, you may even want to develop an app. Especially if you're selling a product, creating an app can allow people to access it easily and often. Mobile apps are a great way to increase your company's accessibility and promoting content on a widely used platform.