Digital Marketing can be complex and overwhelming. So, whether you are just starting or you are looking to invest more time into digital marketing for your local business, it is our goal to simplify it by providing you with the answers and advice you need to get the ball rolling. Below, Vivial’s V.P. of Marketing, Laura Cole, answers five questions about digital marketing that we are asked frequently by new business owners.
Why Is It Important for Local Businesses to have an Online Presence?
In the past, the buying funnel was typically linear line – research, narrow down to a specific company then make a purchase. These days the buying cycle is more of an all over the place, zig-zagging line with a few u-turns thrown in. The main reason for this shift is due to easy access to the internet from their mobile devices. Consumers can investigate and narrow down what item they want, and then purchase it either in-person or online with the click of a button. Therefore to be successful, you must think about how you can be well-represented and in front of them during every step of their buyer’s journey – you want to make sure you are found.
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital Marketing is any aspect of marketing that occurs online and ensuring that your business can be found as consumers are browsing, researching and shopping everything from desktop computers and laptops to tablets and mobile devices.
Why Do Businesses Need Digital Marketing?
Especially now with the evolution of mobile, everyone has the internet at their fingertips. Consumers are online now more than ever – even while they are shopping in-store! They have access to hundreds of other businesses that provide the same products and services allowing them to comparison shop and look for alternative options. Therefore, you are missing out if you aren’t finding ways to capture their attention like having your business online where consumers are searching most.
What is the Biggest Mistake Made with Digital Marketing?
Too often, we see business owners that think you can set it and forget it when it comes to digital marketing. But the reality is that the world of digital marketing changes constantly. Every platform from Google to Facebook uses an algorithm to determine what they are going to show, to what audience, at what time. These algorithms are continually updated, many times without notice. Therefore, you must be nimble and stay on top of things which is one of the main reasons business owners partner with a marketing company, like Vivial, that is completely dialed in to what is happening.
What is the Future of Digital Marketing?
Voice search is becoming even more prevalent. There is a new generation that has been exposed to a plethora of technological advances since birth which gives them a completely different understanding and thought process when it comes to using technology devices. For example, an adult in their 40’s is with their young children at home. They then decide they want ice cream but aren’t sure of where to go because they are new to the area. The adult will more likely head straight to their laptop to Google “ice cream stores near me.” However, before they get the laptop open, the kids are asking their Alexa where they can get ice cream and the device begins rattling off a list of locations close by. As technology continues to evolve, the use of virtual assistant devices is only going to continue to grow.
Do you have questions about digital marketing for your local business? Reach out to our Digital Marketing Experts for a quick consultation!
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