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Like many industries, marketing has drastically evolved over the years. As new technologies get developed and become popular among the masses, marketers have been forced to shift their strategies to ensure they are meeting their potential customers where they are.
Whether advertising in print, on TV, over the radio, or the tried-and-true method of door-knocking, marketing strategies became more complex when marketing digitally became the new norm.
With the introduction of smartphones and tablets, many may think that marketing became easier than it ever was before, but in reality, it also came with entirely new challenges. Digital spaces became oversaturated quickly and consumers were getting bombarded with generic non-personal advertisements.
Now that ads are provided based on the user’s information and browsing history, many people are only seeing a small number of things they may be interested in.
Further evolution within the industry in the form of AI assistance and relying on users’ information and browsing history to ensure consumers are only seeing what they would be interested in has helped marketers remain visible and provide more effective advertisements, but it isn’t necessarily enough to stand out from competitors.
Knowing which platforms to advertise on, which strategies are the most effective on those platforms, and how to deliver on promises to clients will help with marketing effectively in any digital space
Top spaces for digital marketing
There are now numerous social media platforms available for users to choose from, and a majority of those platforms are used for brand development and marketing. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, and even podcasts are among some of the more popular digital spaces for marketers.
TikTok has consistently been one of the most popular apps used by consumers, both worldwide and in the United States, having reached three billion downloads in 2021 and seemingly not slowing down since.
While social media platforms and their popularity comes as no surprise, the popularity of podcasts might not be something as well-known. In 2021, over 82 million people listened to podcasts, and this number is expected to rise to over 100 million listeners by next year. With that many listeners, podcasting is one of the top digital spaces for marketers in 2023.
Despite the variety of options, you aren’t going to find success equally on these sites. In a diverse world, there is no proven site that is best for all industries or businesses.
To narrow it down, you need to evaluate the platforms to see which ones house your target customer base and then determine which one has the highest engagement with that population. Understanding the customer is one of the most critical aspects of effective marketing.
Effective strategies for each particular space
Once you determine which platform to market within, you need to utilize strategies that work the best for that particular space while also ensuring you don’t over-advertise to your target audience. This is a tactic that has worked well for the digital marketing agency Solar Exclusive.
“Homeowners are often called so many times that they lose interest, or they get quotes from multiple companies and that means companies have to drive their prices lower and they are making less per sale. This is the opposite of an effective marketing process,” said Solar Exclusive CEO Rich Feola.
“Unique leads are essential in marketing. We set up our campaigns very strategically so that we exclude different qualifiers in a campaign, so we don’t repeat them, and we keep them all separate. If you don’t close today, and they come back to you, they still haven’t seen other ads.”
The use of qualifiers has proven to be a solid strategy for marketing within the YouTube platform, but there are other strategies that may be more beneficial on other sites. On platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, partnering with influencers who already have a voice within your target audience has become both a popular and effective strategy for marketing and building brand awareness.
Some marketers are even creating their own channels or pages and uploading their ads directly, which is a tactic often used on other sites like LinkedIn and can help drive direct traffic to your business. Both of these sites also offer specific advertising programs.
For TikTok, creating a business account and using TikTok Ads Manager has made marketing without the use of influencers easier than ever, and LinkedIn provides a similar option with its own advertising platform.
Regardless of what platform you use, a useful strategy will always be to see what leaders within that space are doing and learn what is and isn’t working for them
Stand out from the crowd
Some platforms have become oversaturated with marketers over time, so it is more vital than ever that you stand out from your competitors.
There are a number of ways this can be accomplished, from delivering what you promise and cultivating a solid reputation in your industry to building a team of advertisement experts in the space you are wanting to dominate to mixing up your strategies and using more than one effective means to generate leads.
Marketing strategies have evolved over time, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that a process that was once popular isn’t going to work any longer.
Putting a face to the name of the company and making advertisements more personal are great ways to become the most trusted option. In any industry, customers often get multiple quotes before making a decision on what company to choose. If you can build trust with your target audience then you will be seen as the most reputable option and effectively stand out from the crowd.
Victoria Kennedy is CEO of Atman Real Estate. Connect with her via email.
