By Bethany Lee

The world of digital marketing is steadily expanding, and so are the strategies to run a successful online advertising campaign.

Bethany Lee,

The United States was expected to spend $198 billion in 2017, with $69 billion belonging to internet ad spending, according to a study by data and analytics company Zenith.

Businesses are allocating more of their budgets toward digital marketing campaigns because that’s where their audiences are. This is attributed to more people using their mobile devices to gain equal footing, as it provides instant access to information.

There’s even a name for the fear of being without a mobile device, power source or service area: nomophobia.

According to the marketing operations platform tapClicks, people browse seven to eight sites a day and open five to six applications on their mobile devices. Consumers can now price-check at will and compare products or services with the swipe of a finger.

To combat market oversaturation, the tech giant Google is taking an initiative to notify websites if they are serving annoying pop-up ads. This is where it becomes vital for marketing companies to create compelling ads to stand out from the digital noise.

With more users joining social media, shopping online and watching videos on their tablets or phones, it’s never been easier to engage an audience. Through digital marketing, businesses are able to cast a wider, yet more specific net to reach their desired demographic. This raises the need for business owners to learn the digital language.

Demand-side platforms (which sell and bid inventory for online ad space) or Google AdWords and Bing Ads services, allow for companies and marketers to create tailored digital ad campaigns. It takes time and training to be able to navigate and understand these digital marketing platforms. As with any specialty service, it is crucial for businesses to find qualified professionals to monitor a campaign’s performance. A company’s return on investment directly correlates to the person driving the campaign. Digital marketing should never be a set-it-and-forget-it type of platform.

One of the fundamentals of running a digital ad campaign is understanding the difference and importance between display and search campaigns. When it comes to deciding which to choose, a business must determine whether it would like to build awareness or drive a specific action. While there are other types of digital campaigns, these two offer a starting place for most companies.

Imagine display advertising as a digital sports arena, where specific sponsorships line the walls of a stadium. While the spectators are not actively shopping or buying something at that moment, they are being exposed to brands or products to build top-of-mind brand awareness for a topic they are interested in. People view display ads on a website in their browser, as a banner in an app, and even as a video clip.

Search advertising is text-based and tailored for immediate services, such as finding the nearest dentist after chipping a tooth, or searching for someone to repair a broken air conditioning unit. They generally are not services that people would instantly pursue if they happen to view it in a display ad.

When deciding to start a digital marketing campaign, transparency is key. Look for a marketer who offers forecasts, status reports and goes beyond the amount of clicks and views a campaign accrues. For instance, tracking conversions are a great key performance indicator, which measure the overall success of specific goals for a campaign.

The digital world is constantly evolving, making it imperative for marketers to keep on top of what consumers are doing and what devices they are doing it with. This trend of larger digital budgets means more strategic and competitive digital advertisements. If marketers are able to expand their skillsets and improve their digital strategies, it will lead them to more successful campaigns and satisfied clients.

[panel title="About Bethany Lee:" style="info"]

Bethany Lee is a digital marketing strategist for Focal Point Marketing in Kennewick.