5 reasons your marketing must be online

Since the internet first emerged 30 years ago, more and more of our daily lives have moved online. And when COVID hit, things only escalated. When leaving home became difficult or impossible, people turned to online options for shopping, banking, doctor’s appointments, work, school, even takeaways. 

As more consumers made the shift, advertisers followed, with a larger proportion of ad budgets dedicated to digital marketing. Even as the pandemic dials down in some areas, that shift is unlikely to change. 

Digital marketing delivers a wide range of benefits that can’t be found elsewhere – including a wider audience, immediacy, and a personal touch. 

Here’s how:

1: Reach a wider audience 

Just ten short years ago, there were an estimated 2 billion internet users worldwide. COVID pushed global internet usage up by more than 70%, and there are now 4.8 billion internet users globally – almost 60% of the world’s entire population. The number of people on the internet is expected to increase at an average rate of 700,000 new users a day, with the total projected to grow to 5.6 billion over the next four years. 

2: Spend less

Traditional marketing is typically more expensive. Paper and printing costs don’t come cheap, and TVCs or radio spots are sure to blow a large part of your budget. Digital ads are much cheaper – you can boost an Instagram post for as little as $10 so it reaches a wider audience. Digital marketing also generates a higher ROI, meaning much more business on a smaller budget. 

3: Use your personal voice 

Through social media advertising, you can showcase your unique personality and connect with your audience in more personal ways – like introducing the faces behind your brand, speaking directly to your customers, and answering their FAQs. Traditional marketing tends to operate at more of a distance.

4: Track results

Before digital marketing, there was no definitive way to know how successful your ads have been. Now, you can track your ads in real-time and see exactly how valuable boosting each post has been. Social media also allow you to check likes, shares, and follows, which can give insight into how well your content is being received.  

5: Target specific consumers 

In the days when marketing was dominated by newspaper and tv ads, reaching particular consumers was a bit of a guessing game. You could advertise on a radio station or in a magazine associated with your target, but it was difficult to be more specific. Digital advertising gives you the tools to target people with precision – down to their age, interests, previous purchases, and location – rather than using broad strokes.  

If you’re not online, you’re missing out

Over the last decade, and particularly since the pandemic, there’s been a drastic shift in people’s online behaviour. With more people spending more time – and money – online, it makes perfect sense that marketing has followed suit. 

Digital is now a bog-standard part of the advertising playbook, with immediate access to a vast audience, tools to target your customers and track results, and personalised, real-time communication offering powerful benefits for marketers. 

Need help with online advertising? Talk to us now.