Digital marketing as marketing that makes use of electronic devices such as personal computers, smartphones, cellphones, tablets and game consoles to engage with stakeholders, applies technologies or platforms such as websites, e-mail, apps (classic and mobile) and social networks, to achieve results.
Similarly, digital marketing can done via non-internet channels like TV, Radio, SMS, etc or through Internet channels like Social Media, E-mails ads, Banner ads, etc.
According to the Digital Marketing Institute, Digital Marketing is the use of digital channels to promote or market products and services to consumers and businesses.
However, Mr. Tobi Asehinde, chief executive officer, Vibe Web Solutions Limited, said that as they work with businesses around the world, the Company often see some problems when companies don’t have a plan or a structured process for managing digital marketing.
Some of the pitfalls he noted include:
§ Lack of long-term strategic direction of how to use digital to support growth so you need a more clearly defined digital marketing strategy,
§ You won’t know your online market share and how to defend it.
§ Existing and start-up competitors will gain market share.
§ You don’t have a powerful online value proposition for your brand.
§ You don’t know your online customers or insight well enough.
§ You’re not integrated.
§ Digital doesn’t have enough people/budget given its importance.
§ You’re wasting money and time through duplication.
§ You’re not agile enough to catch up or stay ahead.
§ You’re not optimising so the opportunity of online leads and sales is missed.
Digital marketing, as a term, was first used in the 1990s. In the 2000s and the 2010s, digital marketing became more sophisticated as an effective way to create a relationship with the consumer that has depth and relevance.
The rapid evolution of digital media has even created new opportunities and avenues for advertising and marketing.
This has been fuelled by the proliferation of devices to access digital media.