If you’re anything like me, then you’ve started the new year full of zest and optimism. Maybe you’ve also made detailed plans and ambitious new year resolutions. Me too!
Whether you plan to get fit, break a world record or learn to play the guitar, I wish you the best of luck.
For your business, you might have even decided that this year is the year you’ll ace your digital marketing. That it’s time to take it seriously and knuckle down.
But, Will You Keep Your Resolutions?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I really do.
Sadly, it would seem that around 80% of all New Year’s resolutions are broken. In fact, most people give up on their resolution by January 19th. (Quick, check the date).
I always find sticking to one resolution is easiest. Obviously, I’m a little biased about this, but the digital marketing one looks like a keeper.
Why Digital Marketing Is A Must For Any Business
Having digital marketing firmly in your sights is an excellent resolution. The benefits of having a solid digital marketing strategy are nearly endless. Some of the top benefits for your business are that you can:
Reach more people – A whopping 4.6 billion people use the internet daily. Close to half of them also use social media. In Ireland, more than 90% of households use the Internet. That’s a whole load of potential for your business. Don’t even get me started on the number of people using smartphones to shop, stay and play!
Target the right people – Thanks to the variety of digital marketing platforms, you can choose who sees your product and services. Want to target sports fans in Sligo? Do it with digital marketing. Want to target everyone in Ireland who loves ice cream? You guessed – do it with digital.
Spend more wisely – Want to know exactly what you got for your money? Fair enough. Unlike traditional advertising and marketing, digital marketing gives you direct feedback. You will understand what demographic actually engages with your brand. Even which parts of your campaigns were popular and which ones sank like a lead balloon. Digital is flexible too. So, if something’s not working, it can be easily and affordably tweaked for better results.
Increase sales – With strategic digital marketing, your business can increase sales substantially. Consumers in Ireland spend €775 million a month online. According to research by Virgin Mobile, 40% of those surveyed spend an average of up to €500 online every month. Digital marketing means you get a piece of that pie.
Should You DIY Your Digital Marketing?
My short answer is no, rather make use of a professional Digital Marketing Agency, but keep reading if you want to know why.
You have enough to do.
As a business owner, you wear many hats. I’ve met a lot of owners who are trying to squeeze on an extra hat for digital marketing too. Not to overuse a theme, but I take my hat off to anyone who gives it a bash. You have to ask yourself, do you have the time to commit to doing this?
It takes commitment.
Time and again, I’ve come across business owners who give up quickly. Why do they give up? Because they don’t see instant results. I’ve even met owners who have convinced themselves that digital marketing isn’t right for their business or industry. The truth is that results can take time, and every business and industry can benefit.
There are a lot of moving parts.
The common misbelief is that digital marketing is easy. Sure, there’s probably a 12-week course or a YouTube video that could teach you the basics. Ask yourself, do you want the basics, or do you want the kind of results your business deserves? Digital marketing has a lot of moving parts that work together to achieve real results. There’s SEO (which in itself has even more parts), social, blogging, email, content and more. That’s more than a year of 12-week courses just to learn the basics of each.
There’s no magic formula.
I have some bad news for you (again, sorry) but there are no shortcuts, no magic spells, and no get-rich-quick schemes. Much like that fitness regime, world record or guitar solo you working on, it takes time, effort and commitment.
How To Get Your Digital Marketing To Work
Know the saying ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’? That’s how you make your digital marketing work.
If you had a hole in the roof of your house, would you hire a professional or climb up there yourself? No, probably not. You’d hire an experienced, professional, roofer, right. So why patch up your digital marketing? Hire professionals who can make it leak-proof, save money, and add value to your brand.
When you set up your business, did you dream of SEO keyword-optimising your content pages or creating Google ad campaigns? Or, did you dream about doing what you loved? The chances are that you didn’t expect that digital marketing would be on your to-do list. The good news is it doesn’t have to be.
There’s only one way to have effective digital marketing.
Combine hard work and a clearly thought-out strategy. Then execute it and refine it over time.
Bring In The Experts
If there’s one new year’s resolution to keep this year then acing your digital marketing is it.
Bring in the experts by getting in touch with the ePresence digital marketing team today. At ePresence, we can assist you with all your digital marketing needs, including:
- Your Digital Marketing Strategy
- Ecommerce Solutions
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Paid Search Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Social Media Marketing (SMM)
- Content Marketing
- Web Analytics
Contact us in Cork at +353 (21) 2362901 or in Kerry at +353 (87) 2344629
Or email [email protected].