Digital Marketing Myths Debunked

As the internet continues to evolve and society progresses further into the digital age, digital marketing takes a stronger hold on the industry. Digital marketing is basically just online marketing, however, many notions about digital marketing keep people from doing so properly. Here are a few of the common myths about digital marketing debunked.

The Digital Age of Marketing. Image courtesy of Creazilla

Myth 1: Latest Technology for Digital Marketing is Crucial

In this day and age, there are hundreds of new tech products being pushed out on the market. Take Apple for example, they have released 38 different variations of the iPhone since 2007. If having the latest technology really was beneficial, buying each iPhone would be costly, unreliable, and environmentally harmful. Let’s break this myth down. 

Cost

New technology is anything but inexpensive. It is both unsustainable and unnecessary for individuals to upgrade every time a new version comes out. If someone were to upgrade to the latest iPhone each time it was released, they would be out thousands of dollars. Keeping your current version for a minimum of two to three years, depending on the equipment, is the intelligent and cost-effective option. 

Reliability

The latest technology is not only expensive but not as reliable as it is marked to be. New technology still contains glitches in its software that are unlikely to be completely resolved in its newer version. Not to mention, the latest technology is not really all that different from its previous versions. Many companies release new products and claim that they are faster or have a greater camera quality, but there really is not much of a difference between the two. 

Environmental Impact

Purchasing new technology constantly has a huge effect on the environment. E-waste is rarely recycled, in fact, only about 20% of it is. The other 80% ends up in landfills and pollutes the environment. It takes anywhere between 50 years to 1 million years for e-waste to decompose and biodegrade. By constantly upgrading to the latest technology, we are contributing to pollution and negatively impacting our planet.

Having the latest technology is not always beneficial and often causes more harm than good – both to the individual and to the planet. It is very important to figure out exactly what your needs are when considering upgrading to the latest version of your technology.

E-waste Can Take Up to One Million Years to Decompose. Image courtesy of Wannapik

Myth #2: Digital Marketing Means Focusing on Social Media

Many people believe that digital marketing means that you have to focus solely on the social media aspect of it all, specifically the engagement side of social media. However, this is a common misconception. While social media is very important when it comes to digital marketing, there is so much more to it.

Strategies and Tactics for Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is about finding different strategies and tactics to reach your target audience and achieve your company’s goals. These strategies include utilizing search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, and applying data and analytics to understand market trends. All of this should be combined with one, if not multiple, types of online marketing. And while successful digital marketing can be accomplished through social media marketing, it can also be accomplished through email marketing and content marketing.

Email Marketing

Email Marketing has so many wonderful benefits that other online marketing options do not offer. For example, reaching your target audience is done best through email. You can choose who to send your message to and personalize it to their interests and needs (you are more likely to get a response this way too!). When trying to reach a specific audience on social media, it is unlikely that you will reach every person to whom you want to get your message. Another benefit of email marketing is that you can have a conversation with your audience. While people do converse on social media, it is more likely for people to be open and honest about what they are looking for when messaging one-on-one through email. 

Email Marketing Helps to Reach your Target Audience. Image courtesy of Creazilla

Content Marketing

Content Marketing is another great way to successfully market your product or services. It allows your company to focus more on the quality rather than the quantity of the content they are putting out. Due to how quickly social media moves on from one event to the next, it often focuses on the constant stream of content and is often not as interesting. Content marketing gives you the chance to not only create inspiring and memorable content but also allows you to establish yourself in the market. When people see high-quality content, they are likely to follow and keep up with your brand. 

While social media is a very valuable tool and should absolutely be used when participating in digital marketing, it is not the only area of focus. There are many different routes one can take to successfully market their product online. Digital marketing relies on quality content, reaching your target audience, successfully executing your campaign, and more. Social media is only one aspect of the bigger picture. 

Myth #3: Digital Marketing is Expensive

The notion that digital marketing is expensive is inaccurate. While digital marketing can be expensive, it can also be quite affordable. There are many options and routes you can take to successfully market online while keeping costs at a minimum.

Low-Cost Digital Marketing Options

As shown above, there are many different marketing options available. Email marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing can all be quite inexpensive. Email marketing can cost as low as $9 a month for a mid-sized business. Content marketing, on the other hand, can cost a bit more. However, for the quality of the content you are creating and the value you are getting from it, it may just be worth the price. Social media marketing is fairly cheap as well. Many people can promote their businesses on various social media platforms without spending any money on advertisements or promotions. Even if you did go this route, it rarely is pricy.

The cost of digital marketing truly depends on the platforms you utilize and the strategies you choose. Although it can cost some money to use specific channels, it is unlikely to break the bank. When trying to figure out what best works for you, remember that there are many affordable options available online that can help you to effectively market the products and services that your business offers. 

Digital Marketing Can be Accomplished Through Different Channels. Image courtesy of Seobility

To Conclude

Digital marketing has become normal in the world that we live in today. It is crucial to know how to properly navigate the different channels there are to successfully market your business. More importantly, it is critical to know that there is nothing to be scared of when it comes to digital marketing. Digital marketing is doable for anyone who wants to learn. You do not have to constantly buy the latest technology or focus solely on social media or break the bank trying to keep up with the different marketing streams. Anyone can learn to how digital market successfully.

If you liked this article you may also like our blog post on Design Thinking for Creating Market Winning Products.