The importance of understanding what it is and how to navigate its complexities should not be underestimated, as digital marketing will drive success. So, what is digital marketing exactly? It refers to the act of promoting or marketing your products, brands, or services through digital channels like online search engines, social media, email, and websites (the real-world landscape of any digital marketing).
In this article, we will look at the digital marketing funnel (or purchase funnel) — a model that shows how a business should guide its potential customers through the buying process.
The Ultimate Guide to What is Digital Marketing
The digital marketing funnel is a model that depicts the journey from initial awareness to purchase. By focusing on this tool, businesses are able to better understand how their target audiences move through the purchasing states. Here’s how the digital marketing funnel works:
Step 1. Create Awareness and Establish Your Brand
The first stage of the digital marketing funnel is that of awareness. This is when potential customers first hear about or see your product or service through channels like social media, content marketing and ads running online.
Step 2. Create Appeal and Involvement among your Target Customers
When potential customers have become aware of a business or brand, they may also develop an interest. In this stage businesses use tools like content marketing, email marketing and social media—by providing interesting information or thought provoking insights, you help educate your target audiences on what matters most to them and how your products or services work to solve their problems or demands.
Stage 3: Generate Desire and Reputation with your Target Audience.
During the desire stage, potential customers begin to want your product or service. During this stage, businesses need to incorporate social proof, customer testimonials, influencer marketing, etc., as this builds trust and credibility with target audiences.
Stage 4: Encourage Action and Drive Conversions
This practical step of the digital marketing funnel is known as the action stage. This stage is where the prospect finally takes steps towards a purchase or conversion. Using conversion rate optimisation, email marketing, and retargeting can get potential customers to act.
Stage 5: Build Customer Relationships and Develop Brand Loyalists
Email marketing, social media, and content marketing are powerful channels for relationship-building and customer loyalty to make sure customers return to you after they have converted or purchased.
Stage 6: Measure and Optimise your Digital Marketing Strategy
Then comes the last step in the digital marketing funnel i.e. measure and optimise your digital marketing strategy. Analytics tools enable businesses to track metrics such as website traffic, engagement, and conversions and make data-driven decisions to improve their digital marketing strategy.
Conclusion
To sum up, due to the rapid growth of smartphone and social media use, digital marketing has become a must-have tool that businesses cannot afford to ignore. So, businesses need to have insights into what digital marketing is and how it plays a significant role in the growth and success of the business. Thus, helps drive conversions, revenue, and, ultimately, growth by potential customers through five stages of the customer journey: awareness, interest, desire, action (or purchase), and loyalty.
Do you want to Take Your Digital Marketing to the Next Level in South Africa?
Looking for expert and detailed insights into what digital marketing means? Still, have questions about how to get ahead in the South African market? Check out our this guide to digital marketing in South Africa.
This comprehensive guide gives practical tips and strategies for businesses wanting to increase their online visibility, increase the number of visitors they have coming to their website, and improve conversion ratios in the South African market. By knowing what digital marketing is and how to choose the right strategies, businesses in South Africa can promote growth. So, take advantage and get ahead now!