Confused About What Exactly Online Marketing is? This Article has the Answer!

Nowadays, most people are familiar with Online Marketing. In this article we will clarify the true definition of Online Marketing and explain why businesses new and old can’t afford to ignore it.

What Is Online Marketing?

It literally means “marketing on an online platform”. Of course, marketing, no matter what type, is carried out to achieve business objectives one way or another. Business objectives may include: increasing brand awareness, driving sales, expanding the customer base, or collecting business data. These objectives need to be set before starting any form of marketing.

So, to put it simply, Online Marketing is marketing on internet-based platforms like websites, social media channels and apps.

What Is the Difference between Offline Marketing and Online Marketing?

Offline Marketing requires no internet, for example: print media (magazines, newspapers, brochures, posters, billboards, etc.), whereas Online Marketing is marketing on any media we can see on screens (except television), for example: mobile phones, computers, and tablets. 

The concept or method for these two types of marketing is often the same. The difference is just in the platform or the media that your marketing will be displayed on (in reality, there can be some different steps or processes, but the concept is the same).

What Are the Indicators that Your Business Needs Online Marketing?

Nowadays, almost everyone agrees that Offline Marketing is dead and that a business cannot succeed without Online Marketing. These thoughts are both right and wrong. The correct thought is that if your business is not online, there is a reduced chance that it will be able to compete and survive.

However, it is not true that Offline Marketing is completely dead (although this is likely to be the case in the future). For example, if your business has a physical location or is one that customers have to contact or visit directly (restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, etc.) then Offline along with Online Marketing is more effective than Online Marketing alone.

The indicator of whether or not your business needs Online Marketing is based on your objectives rather than your business direction. What is your objective? If it is to target customers who spend most of their time online, you should start marketing online as soon as possible before your competitors grab market share.

How to Start Online Marketing

Any form of marketing should begin with careful planning, including short- and long-term plans, and a back-up plan in case of unexpected circumstances. Online Marketing also requires you to consider your branding, target customers, brand persona, and the platforms you wish to run your business on. When you have all that pinned down, the next important part to consider is budget and personnel.

Business owners will need to accept that Online Marketing is costly, both in terms of management and the payment of skilled staff (just about the same as Traditional Marketing). Online Marketing needs staff with specialist skills, so most online jobs are usually well paid. Therefore, do not forget to manage your budget carefully, otherwise it could undermine all your marketing plans. 

How to Beat the Competitors at Online Marketing

Just because Online Marketing requires money, it is no different to Traditional Marketing, in that it does not mean that those with the biggest budgets win. In the era of Online Marketing, any business is able to use media and tools cleverly to defeat the competition. Therefore, doing something different, brand new and engaging that goes viral can increase your chances of staying one step ahead of the competition. At this time, whoever is able to move quicker and get more attention, usually wins.

When it comes to Online Marketing, there is no secret formula for success. Some businesses succeed with only a Facebook Page, whereas many others with both websites and social media channels never realise their dreams.

Success very much depends on your patience, planning, and understanding of the rapidly changing world of Online Marketing. If you can adapt and keep up with the changes then your chances of outperforming the competition are high.