No one would dispute that the world has changed a lot and in a very short amount of time. In just the middle of the last century, consumers could choose between two options of products. Today, we can choose from hundreds of options and the competition is overwhelming.
– What are the main advantages of digital marketing?
There are several key elements that come to mind.
- It can be done for very cheap, or even zero cost, especially with projects that have just started.
However, this must be qualified. Although the tools can be free, the dedication of time required is not. Proper communication and marketing requires time and must be paid for accordingly. On too many occasions, this is not the case and enough time is not accounted for
- It is a field open to creativity and has infinite possibilities.
Each project has its essence, its audience, its core message, and its niches of opportunity. Especially with small projects, at the beginning, there is a free way to try anything and see if it works. Then you adapt and you shape the plan according to the results. For those who like this world of testing and adjusting, each project is a big white canvas, full of possibilities.
- It is 100% adaptable to the reality of each project.
There are a thousand ways to use different tools with varied results. First, I ask my clients to tell me what they want to achieve and then together, we decide how to do it.
- It gives you the freedom to work from anywhere in the world.
Digital professions have the great advantage that in many cases you only need your computer and Wifi to work. If you work as a freelancer from a coworking space, if you live as a digital nomad, or if you work for a company that offers mobility and remote work, you can definitely be part of the digital marketing universe and set up your office wherever you want.
However, to be fair, I should highlight other aspects which are not as good. On one hand, it is a world in constant change. If you do not keep up, your knowledge can become obsolete in a matter of months. This can become exhausting as a professional.
On the other hand, it’s not just about the knowledge you absorb. You can read a thousand blogs and do a master’s degree, but in the end, there is a lot of trial and error and the need for common sense. There is no marked path. Each project can have one or more strategies that work for. What works for some may not work for others.
-Why is digital marketing more profitable than traditional marketing?
I would not say it’s more profitable. It may or may not be depending on your business and who you want to reach. Like everything, digital marketing can be profitable if its potential is used correctly.
There is not only one way to do something.
Digital Marketing is a big sack where all sorts of actions and strategies can be combined and interdependent: from the publication of content in a blog to be found in Google searches, to an investment in online advertising platforms such as Facebook or Instagram.
It’s like cooking: you have many ingredients. You can combine them in many ways and get many dishes to suit each project.
It will be profitable if you manage to combine correctly the actions that work for your specific case. The first thing you will have to do is always establish what your goals are. Who do you want to reach? What is the conversion you are trying to get. It is very typical to do everything without stopping to think “why are we doing this?” How you do it depends on your experience, talent, and creativity.. Just as in the kitchen, I suppose!
– Can any company do digital marketing regardless of its size?
Yes, I would say so. The Internet is full of free tools. You start with the basic ones, and then, as you grow, you discover your business´ needs. This ends up translating in many cases the move from the “freemium” (free) to the “premium” (paid) versions of many tools.
For example, a tiny project or a personal blog does not need a penny to go out there and make itself known. I would propose a “beginners toolkit” which is available to everyone:
Your Website: WordPress create your first free website to explain who you are and what you do, with a blog to publish content on a regular basis.
Social media: register on one or several of the main social networks: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest. Depending on your audience and goals, you may not need to be in every network. In fact, it’s usually a mistake to think that´s a better choice.
Email Newsletter: Try Mailchimp to send newsletters or newsletters to people and companies in your database.
Email and File Storage: Google account, have a Gmail (email account) and Drive (cloud storage account). And others like Google My Business.
Marketing Materials: Try Canva, a free and simple tool to create graphic design pieces such as logos, posters, headers and much more.
You can start with much less. But this is a good starter package and everything listed above is free to start. Once you get set up, You can start for free and eventually as you find success, pay for online advertising yourself, and use super powerful software that automates many of the actions that you would otherwise have to do manually.
– What is inbound marketing?
It is the field in which I have specialized the most. Inbound marketing aims to attract your audience instead of going to look for it. Through the creation of quality content that is relevant to your target audience phases are tailored to optimize keywords for your customers’ Internet search process.
If it is well done, everyone wins and it creates a relationship of trust with the client based on quality information.
-Do you see yourself working as a “digital nomad”?
Absolutely. The world is going on that direction. 😉
