This article should be titled “All You Need to Know About Digital Advertising…Today.” There may be a subtle nuance of change tomorrow, the introduction of new online platforms next year, and a paradigm shift in the years to follow.  

For business owners, this might seem like an overwhelming amount of information to decipher but for digital advertising strategists, it is literally a day at the office, a very dynamic, robust office. Digital advertising paired with multichannel marketing changed the way businesses targeted consumers and the way consumers reacted to and paid for products and services.

 In the past, only well-established businesses and large corporations were able to allocate a portion of their budgets for advertising on television, radio, and in print. It was expensive, exclusive, and financially and creatively out of reach for the average business. Most were fortunate just to be able to advertise seasonally or during sales events. Really small businesses often languished because they had neither the funds nor the expertise to create any kind of effective advertising campaign. Relying on word of mouth was effective to an extent but was never enough to make a significant dent in the marketplace, especially when popular brands and big-box stores flooded the competition.

Enter digital advertising. The onset of this technology leveled the playing field and made room for any business to reap the benefits of a targeted digital marketing strategy augmented by multichannel marketing fueled by strategic analysis of the marketplace.

Where the Story Begins 

The mighty triumvirate of TV, radio, and print took a big hit when digital advertising hit the ground running and never looked back. As technology advanced, most specifically with the use of personal computers, and then with tablets and smartphones, the advertising capabilities exploded. At first, consumers were inundated with the randomness of pop-up ads, but then as the internet became more refined, so did its ability to target a specific audience with relevant ads laden with appealing content.  

 Once social media platforms like Facebook became rooted in daily consumer behavior digital advertising was elevated to the data analysis precision business owners enjoy today as they can get their well-crafted message to whom they want to target.  

Digital Marketing Strategy for the Savvy Business Owner 

Your marketing approach should include enlisting the expertise of those digital strategists whose skills lie in analyzing the data produced by the online behavior and digital channels used by your target audience. Without this ads might as well still be random and useless. CDMG does not want that for you or your customers. We strive to employ the latest in strategic analysis, sifting through the vital information revealed by algorithms across multiple channels and pinpointing where your message will elicit the most impact.  

A multichannel marketing approach will allow your business to reach exactly who you want to target because you will know what they plan to buy and when. A diverse yet consistent message will appear in the form of text, images, audio, and video. These formats are the foundation of your content, and we are experts in knowing how to use each for your selected digital platforms.  

We know you have a certain familiarity with many of the platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. In addition to those regular players, CDMG will also include in this online strategy the use of email, search engines, mobile apps, and your business’s website. The possibilities of content and configurations may appear endless, but we only utilize what will effectively build awareness of your brand and drive sales.  

Additional trends to consider in your marketing strategy include sponsored content and native ads to allow consumers to engage with content but without feeling like their online experience includes the intrusion of perceived advertising. The power of Google and YouTube continue to lead the charge as premier search engines.  

Relatively new players in the often-instant gratification online world include newcomers like TikTok, a short-form video site that boasts significant popularity but may be a data risk for users. This brings up the element of cybersecurity and should be part of the conversation as you map out a digital advertising strategy.   

Where Do We Go from Here? 

Online. We go online and take advantage of the enormity of the internet and its ability to build brand awareness, drive consumers to purchase products and services as well as share their behaviors within their social networks. 

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the future of digital advertising, while always evolving with the latest technology, is still a rock-solid source of marketing that we know can markedly influence the success of your business.