The most common misconception among entrepreneurs is to think that because they already have a website they already have a sustainable online business.

Having a website means having the equivalent of a store presence in the vast marketplace of the world wide web. No matter how awesome your product or service is, if nobody knows about it, then it will be difficult for you to generate revenue. The bigger question you should focus on would be – does your website make money? Keep in mind: if it does not bring you any income then you don’t have any return on your investment.

Think about it, your customers are no longer using a phone book to find you. They are using search engines – Google, Yahoo, Bing – to find the products and services that they need. Is your website search-engine compliant so that you have a better chance of getting top rankings? Are your pages optimized to convert the traffic you are receiving? A lot of people are using their mobile phones and smart phones, is your website mobile-friendly? Are you using social media to promote your business and connect with your customers?

If most of your answers to these questions are no, then it is high time that you invest in digital marketing. Here are the top reasons why you should do so:

1. Yields More Cost-Effective Results than Traditional Marketing

For businesses which have limited resources and can’t afford to invest money into traditional marketing methods such as TV ads, print and radio campaigns, digital marketing could be a great addition to your start-up marketing strategies. One of the advantages of marketing online is that it provides better and more cost-effective marketing channel that delivers real-time sales results.

The cost of a 2- minute TV ad, for example, is more expensive compared to a social media campaign where most of your investment will be your time and your creativity. Hence, one powerful digital marketing tool that cost little is you should invest into is social media. It is a great channel to build your online reputation and showcase the vision of your business.

2. Helps Small Businesses Reach More Potential Customers

In order to capture a growing and lucrative market, changing your marketing efforts with digital strategic approach will enable you to reach new markets and do so in a global scale. There is no better place to find potential customers than on the web because typical consumers spend most of their time online.

With different social networking sites available such as Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter, you are able to reach a larger audience. Meanwhile, optimizing your website for search engines will enable  interested parties in different parts of the world to know more about your products. This way, you can develop new business opportunities and perhaps even export your products on a global market.

3. Edges Out Competitors

Businesses are engaging in new advertising methods to help them attract more customers. The market becomes more competitive and it is critical that businesses adapt to emerging digital marketing trends in order to maintain its competitive advantage.

The best thing about digital marketing methodolgies is that they somehow level the playing field. Now, a small business can create buzz with its great products or have a video go viral on Youtube and generate sales from there. If you are already incorporating digital marketing strategies into your business plan and your competitor isn’t, you definitely have the edge.

4. Builds Relationship With Customers

Through social media, entrepreneurs will have a direct link to their target market. Setting up a Facebook page or a Twitter account gives customers a chance to personally send their messages and comments to the business. Reaching out to the target market through social media extends the customer service beyond the four corners of a business establishment. It can heighten the engagement between business owner and customers, which can foster the relationship between them. Patrons are more loyal to businesses when they can communicate well with the staff and owners.

5. Improves Business Reputation

It is important that the company must maintain a good reputation. In every business, regardless of how big or small, integrity is one of the cornerstones. Now, your customer can make or break your brand by giving you a great review or providing a negative feedback. Online reputation management (ORM) can  help you out in ensuring that your brand continues to be viewed positively and that you can quickly respond and address negative feedback.

6. Gains Direct Feedback From Customers

Instead of relying on feedback forms alone, entrepreneurs can use social media to gauge the reaction of customers. It’s common for customers to post their impressions and experience about the services they availed or products they purchased on their social media accounts. Some end users even tag or mention the account or the brand they are talking about. With this, businesses can have instant feedback and would allow entrepreneurs to gather insights as to which aspect of their business customers are fond of, and which areas need improvement.

7. Shapes Strategies Effectively Based on Target Audience

In digital marketing, understanding your customers is easy by using social media and web analytics. With these tools, you can have access to demographics and get a big picture of who your customers are.

Your big data includes statistics on the age group of your most engaged followers, their gender, along with their geographic location. You will also gain insight on how often people buy your products and how they learned about your company.

Using all of these information, you can properly set a plan to improve sales and adapt to your market’s preferences.

8. Measures Marketing Results Easily

Traditional marketing campaign takes months before you could start a post campaign analysis. With digital marketing, it only takes a few days to find out if the marketing campaign you rolled-out is effective or not. Hence, digital marketing cuts red tapes and saves you more money.

There are a lot of reliable online tools on the market which you can use to measure your campaign’s results. With these tools, you can track which content gathers a better response from your customers, or what marketing avenue resulted in sales. By using this information, you can easily optimize your marketing plan and maximize your return on investment.

To ensure that you have an effective digital marketing campaign, partner with a digital marketing company which has a proven track record in delivering results and is 100% dedicated to helping you achieve business growth.

Start your online presence strong with Total Net Research and Marketing, Inc (TNRM Inc.). The company provides highest quality solutions in web design and development, digital marketing, software development, and call center solutions. Visit their website: www.tnrm.com.ph or contact them for your digital marketing needs at info@tnrm.com.ph or +632 553 4860.