This article on Digital Marketing Channels will help you understand various digital media channels/ platforms/networks/services that your target customers are using regularly so that you can pick up suitable channels & start promoting your business on those channels.
Digital Marketing Channels are required in Step 3 of the Digital Marketing Process, i.e Promote. After your website/ blog/app is ready, you need to bring your target customers to them. This process is also known as generating relevant traffic to the website/ blog/app. Getting your target customer to your website is one of the major activities in digital marketing.
Digital Marketers Tip: Understand your target customer’s behavior with respect to your product/service & the digital channels they are using. Market your business on those channels.
Let’s understand
Digital Marketing Channels
#1. Search Engines
When your target customers want information related to products/services that you deal in, they will go on search engines. They may search for general information, product, or service within a location or they may simply type your business name (if they already know you).
Search Engines have the ability to send the most relevant people to your website since the user’s intention & action are very clear. Hence Search is also known as a PULL channel. Your target customers can type direct as well as indirect queries related to your products/services. You have an opportunity to drive direct keyword traffic to your website & indirect keyword traffic to your blog.
Though Google is still the most preferred search engine, there are many other search engines that have evolved. For business purpose search engine can be classified into:
- General Information Search Engine (Google)
- Local Search Engines
- B2B Search Engines (Alibaba.com, Indiamart.com)
- Specialized Search Engines (Zomato.com for restaurants, Practo.com for medical services)
You can appear on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP) & drive users to your website/blog.
#2. E-commerce Portals
Online buying of products has become very popular since companies like Amazon & Flipkart are pushing their limits to persuade people to shop online.
If you are dealing in products that are popular on e-commerce portals, then this is an important channel for you. You will not need a website if you want to sell your products only through these portals.
All major E-commerce portals have Sellers program, that will enable you to start selling on their portals. E-commerce companies have a ready system, through which you can create your profile, uploads products & services, accept orders, get them delivered & receive your payments.
You can become a reseller & start selling your products through e-commerce portals.
If you are planning to build your own brand, then you will have to create your own e-commerce website & promote through all other channels mentioned in this article.
#3. Display Network (Popular Portals & Blogs)
There are many popular portals & blogs on the internet that want to display your ads along with their content. These portal/blog owners sign up for the Google Adsense program & start displaying ads on their properties.
Google dominates the display ad market. They have the widest reach in display advertising.
You can sign up for the Google Adwords program & start displaying your ads on popular portal & blogs (those who are part of Google Display Network).
Though there are no minimum budget requirements for advertising on the display network, you are expected to have a reasonably good budget here.
Following is the list of popular display advertising programs:
- Google Display Network
- Bing Display Network
- Facebook Audience Network
You can create your ad accounts for respective Display Networks, create & display your ads on various portals/blogs, create awareness about your products/services & drive them to your website.
#4. Social Media Networks
The place on the internet where your target audience is spending their maximum time.
Social Media has become a major channel for business promotions. Depending on your target audience & your product/services, you must decide one or more social media networks that you want to promote your business on.
The following are leading social media networks/channels:
You can appear in your audience social media feeds, create awareness about your products/services & drive them to your website/blog.
#5. Email
Email is the oldest & most commonly used internet service. A large number of internet users check their email inbox every day. As a business, you can send them emailers & get them to your website/blog.
You can appear in your audience email inbox, create awareness about your products/services & drive them to your website/blog.
#6. Messaging
More than 50% of internet users are accessing the internet through their mobile phones. One of the most used services on their phone is messaging. WhatsApp being the most used messaging service, SMS is still a service, being used by many others.
You can send your short crafted messages to your target audience along with links, that will get them to your website/blog.
#7. Affiliates
Affiliate as a Digital Marketing Channel is suitable only for a large-scale organization with capabilities to create & manage affiliate marketing programs.
Affiliates, in simple words, are your commission agents. They have websites/blogs with regular traffic. Since they want to make money through this traffic, they may choose to become your affiliate. An affiliate will show your banners & information on his website /blog. These banners & information are hyperlinked to your website. This will affiliate will send traffic to your website & will be paid if users buy your product/service.
You can create an affiliate program, get affiliates to sign up for that program, let them display your information on their portals/blogs & drive them to your website.
Summary
Your target customers are using various digital media channels/ platforms/networks/services. You can communicate with your target audience on those channels, create awareness, drive traffic to your website/blog.
Most used Digital Marketing Channels are Search Engines, E-commerce Portals, Display Networks, Social Media Networks, Email, Messaging & Affiliates.
Most of these channels have organic (naturally, without paying any money) as well as inorganic (ads) options to promote.