Digital Marketing Set to Continue Dominance Over Traditional Advertising in 2013
There are a number of reasons why digital marketing is now a major channel for businesses. Digital media can reach target audiences on a much wider scale at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional forms of media. The internet has no country border and is a platform where campaigns can reach almost anyone, anywhere, any-time.Whilst traditional forms of advertising will continue to exist and many brands and businesses will still use them as part of their overall campaign, digital media is now very much taking a large slice of any marketing budget. TV campaigns are great for brand awareness, and it is common for many slots to be used up by websites aiming to expand their brand profile by buying airtime.Digital marketing opportunities are increasingFigures show that in the last year, the demand for online search marketing freelancers has dramatically increased. The UK and Europe are hiring the most digital marketers illustrating that demand is growing. In the last 12 months the spend on digital marketing has also increased in these areas. According to eConsultancy, in the UK in the past year spend on digital marketing increased by a staggering 279%; 255% in Germany and 127% in Switzerland. Austria also experienced a dramatic growth with a spend increase of 270%.There are many reasons why digital marketing has infiltrated even the oldest institutions around the globe.Longevity of CampaignsAnother contributing factor to suggest why Internet marketing is overtaking traditional advertising is the longevity of a campaign. Traditional advertising campaigns might run for a significantly shorter time in comparison to a web based campaign. Whilst target audiences might not be able to listen again and again and again to a particular radio campaign or TV advert without turning off, it is not always the same with online adverts as they are less intrusive, but still deliver brand awareness. The cost of producing some banner advertising or researching a keyword campaign for PPC is considerably less than producing a TV advert too of course.Easier to MeasureOne of the real benefits of digital over traditional media advertising is the fact that it is easier to measure compared to traditional media. There are a wide range of tools and programmes, which can help marketers to measure the impact of their digital campaigns. Through reports, analysis and other online tools, brands and companies can see the direct impact of their marketing campaign and the volume of responses they have had as a result. This might be significantly harder to track with traditional forms of advertising. These reports further help marketers to identify their specific customer base and target them more effectively.As more and more businesses recognise the importance of online marketing, they are more likely to push their efforts in that direction. Digital marketing is fast becoming the primary source of advertising activity for brands and businesses both big and small. The UK in particular has concentrated on the growth of digital marketing with an increase of 215% from April last year compared to the global average of 124%.With the global average sill being well over 100% in just 12 months, this shows the overall recognition that digital marketing is the way forward for businesses and brands.I predict that this growth will continue to expand in 2013, with a keen focus on mobile, local and online content. If brands fail to adjust their budgets accordingly, then they could risk being left behind.