Digital Marketing Ultimate Guide For Beginners 2023

Digital marketing has become an essential part of every business. And keeping up with the latest trends. And techniques are crucial for staying competitive in the online market.

In recent years, Nigeria has experienced tremendous growth in the online space. This presents a great opportunity for digital marketers to tap into a growing market.

According to a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). As of August 2021, Nigeria had over 154 million internet users. representing a 76.6% internet penetration rate.

The report indicated that the number of active voice subscriptions had reached over 205 million. indicating a growing number of mobile phone users in the country.

These statistics highlight the significant growth of the online market in Nigeria. And this presents a unique opportunity for digital marketers to target a vast and growing audience.

With the right digital marketing strategies. Businesses can leverage the Nigerian online market to drive brand awareness, lead generation, and sales.

What is digital marketing?

Digital marketing is the use of digital channels. and technologies to promote products and services.

It is a broad term involving different strategies and tactics. including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, email marketing, and content marketing. and paid advertising.

Digital marketing has become an essential part of any business’s marketing strategy.

With the rise of the internet and mobile devices. consumers are spending more time online.

And businesses need to be where their customers are to be able to reach them.

Digital marketing allows businesses to target their audience with precision. Reach them at the right time and place. and measure the effectiveness of their campaigns in real time.

This data-driven approach enables businesses to optimize their marketing efforts. Improving their ROI and driving business growth.

Who introduced Digital Marketing

The concept of digital marketing has been around since the invention of the internet.

But its origins can be traced back to the early 1990s. The first clickable web banner was introduced in 1993 by Global Network Navigator.

A company owned by O’Reilly Media, which promoted AT&T’s “You Will” campaign.

But, the true pioneer of digital marketing is Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of the radio.

In the early 1900s, Marconi saw the potential of the radio as a marketing tool. And he began broadcasting advertisements for his wireless telegraphy equipment.

Fast forward to the 1980s, and the advent of personal computers and the internet. Provided marketers with a new set of tools for reaching consumers.

The first email marketing campaign was launched in 1978 by Gary Thuerk.

A marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation. Thuerk sent an unsolicited email to 400 people promoting DEC’s new line of computers. which resulted in $13 million in sales.

8 benefits of digital marketing

Digital marketing provides a range of benefits for businesses of all sizes. From cost-effectiveness and global reach to targeted marketing and measurable results.

1. Global reach:

With digital marketing, businesses can reach a global audience with their marketing message.

Unlike traditional marketing methods that are limited by geography. Digital marketing can help businesses connect with customers all over the world.

2. Cost-effective:

Digital marketing is often more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods. Making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes.

For instance, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. allow businesses to reach their audience for free or at a very low cost.

3. Targeted marketing:

Digital marketing allows businesses to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.

Ensuring that their marketing message is reaching the right audience. This helps to maximize the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and generate higher ROI.

4. Measurable results:

One of the biggest benefits of digital marketing is that it is highly measurable.

With tools like Google Analytics, businesses can track. and measure the success of their marketing campaigns. Making it easy to adjust and optimize campaigns for better results.

5. Real-time customer interaction:

Digital marketing provides businesses with the opportunity to interact with customers in real-time.

Through social media platforms, live chat, and email. This allows businesses to respond to customer queries and feedback. Improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

6. Increased brand awareness:

Digital marketing helps businesses to build brand awareness and increase visibility online.

With a well-executed digital marketing strategy, businesses can create a strong brand identity.

That resonates with their target audience, helping to increase brand recognition and loyalty.

7. Better customer insights:

Digital marketing provides businesses with valuable customer insights. Including customer behavior, preferences, and interests.

This information can be used to create more targeted. and personalized marketing campaigns that resonate with customers. driving higher engagement and conversion rates.

8. Competitive edge:

Businesses that fail to adopt digital marketing strategies risk falling behind their competitors.

By leveraging digital marketing channels. businesses can stay ahead of the curve and gain a competitive edge in their industry.

Types of digital marketing

Here are the main types of digital marketing.

Social media marketing

Social media marketing is a type of digital marketing. that utilizes social media platforms to promote a brand or business.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Have become an essential part of a business’s digital marketing strategy.

A social media strategy involves creating, publishing. And sharing content that resonates with your target audience. The strategy should align with your business goals and objectives.

Social media platforms provide businesses with an opportunity. to connect with their target audience increase brand awareness, and drive website traffic.

Social media advertising involves paying to promote your brand. or business on social media platforms.

Social media advertising allows businesses to target their ideal audience. based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and location.

Advertising on social media platforms has proven to be effective due to the large user base. and advanced targeting options.

Social media analytics involves measuring. and analyzing the performance of your social media marketing efforts.

The analytics provide insights into your audience, engagement rates, and content performance.

Social media analytics are essential in optimizing your social media strategy. and improving the return on investment (ROI) of your social media marketing campaigns.

Video Marketing

Video marketing is a crucial component of any successful digital marketing campaign.

With more than 80% of online traffic expected to come from videos by 2022. It’s clear that businesses cannot ignore the potential of video content.

Video marketing has proven to be an effective way to increase brand awareness, engagement, and conversion rates.

There are several popular video marketing channels. that businesses can leverage to reach their target audience.

For example, YouTube is the second most visited website globally. With over 2 billion monthly active users, making it an ideal platform for video marketing.

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are also popular platforms that allow businesses to create. and share video content with their followers.

TikTok is a newer addition to the social media landscape. has seen incredible growth in recent years.

With over 1 billion active users worldwide, TikTok has become a force to be reckoned with.

In fact, 62% of TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 29. Making it an ideal platform for businesses looking to reach a younger demographic.

According to recent studies video content on social media platforms. generates 1,200% more shares than text and image content combined.

Video content has also been found to increase landing page conversions by up to 80%.

In addition, 64% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product online after watching a video about it.

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a business model where an online retailer. pays a commission to an external website (known as an affiliate). for every sale generated through their referral.

This form of marketing is effective as it is performance-based. which means that advertisers only pay when a sale is made.

One example of affiliate marketing is the Amazon Associates program. Which allows bloggers and website owners to earn a commission on sales made through their referral links to Amazon products.

In fact, Amazon’s affiliate program is one of the largest. and most successful affiliate marketing programs in the world.

According to Serpwatch affiliate marketing statistics. Affiliate marketing accounts for 16% of all e-commerce sales in the US and Canada.

In addition, affiliate marketing spending is expected to reach $8.2 billion by 2023.

The benefits of affiliate marketing for business owners and online marketers are numerous.

For business owners, it is a cost-effective way to reach a wider audience and drive sales. as they only pay when a sale is made.

It also allows them to reach new customers through the promotion efforts of their affiliates.

For online marketers, it provides an opportunity to earn passive income. By promoting products that they believe in and that are relevant to their audience.

SMS Marketing

SMS marketing involves sending text messages to customers. or prospects to promote products or services.

It has proven to be an effective marketing strategy as text messages are read within minutes of receipt. Ensuring quick and targeted communication with customers.

One of the best SMS marketing strategies is to offer exclusive discounts. or promotions to customers via text message.

This creates a sense of urgency and encourages customers to take immediate action. resulting in increased sales and revenue for businesses.

It’s also important to keep messages short, concise, and personalized to the customer.

A successful SMS marketing campaign should be relevant to the recipient. and provide them with value.

Statistics have shown that SMS marketing has a high engagement rate. With open rates of up to 98% compared to email marketing which has an average open rate of 20%.

But, it’s important to follow regulations. such as obtaining consent from customers before sending them text messages. as well as providing an opt-out option.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is a powerful digital marketing strategy that focuses on creating. and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content.

To attract and retain a clearly defined audience. businesses that fail to recognize its importance are likely to fall behind their competitors.

One of the best things about content marketing is that it’s highly versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. For example, it can be used to:

Establish thought leadership: Creating high-quality content that showcases your expertise in a particular area. You can position yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Generate leads: By creating content that is relevant. and valuable to your target audience. You can attract potential customers and convert them into leads.

Increase website traffic: By optimizing your content for search engines. And sharing it on social media, you can drive more traffic to your website.

Build brand awareness: By creating content that is engaging. and shareable, you can increase your brand’s visibility and reach a wider audience.

According to statistics, content marketing is highly effective. For example, businesses that use content marketing. see 6 times higher conversion rates compared to those that don’t.

content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing. but generates 3 times as many leads.

To create successful content, it’s important to follow best practices, such as:

• Conducting thorough research to understand your audience’s needs and interests.

• Creating content that is relevant and valuable to your target audience.

• Using a mix of formats, such as blog posts, videos, infographics, and social media posts.

• Optimizing your content for search engines by using relevant keywords and meta tags.

• Promoting your content on social media, email, and other channels to increase visibility and engagement.

Search engine optimization

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a critical component of digital marketing.

It involves optimizing your website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). for relevant keywords and phrases.

SEO is important because it drives organic traffic to your website. meaning you don’t have to pay for each click.

In fact, organic search drives 53% of all website traffic. making it one of the most effective digital marketing channels.

To achieve success with SEO, it’s important to follow best practices such as:

1. Conduct keyword research to understand what terms and phrases people are searching for in your industry.

2. Creating high-quality, original content that is optimized for your target keywords and provides value to your audience.

3. Optimizing your website’s technical structure, including page speed, mobile-friendliness, and site architecture.

4. Building high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites in your industry.

5. Monitoring and analyzing your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console.

By following these best practices, you can improve your website’s search engine visibility.

Drive more traffic to your site, and ultimately increase your leads and sales.

For example, one of our clients in the travel industry saw a 53% increase in organic traffic.

And a 62% increase in leads within six months of implementing an SEO strategy. That included keyword research, content creation, and technical optimizations.

Pay per click (PPC) advertising

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising involves placing ads on search engine results pages. and other websites to drive traffic to a specific landing page.

In this type of advertising, advertisers only pay when someone clicks on their ad.

Google Ads, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Twitter Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and YouTube Ads. are some of the best ad networks used in PPC advertising.

These ad networks allow businesses to target specific demographics, interests, and locations. Making their ads more effective.

According to Statista, the global spending on digital advertising is expected to reach over $836 billion by 2026. With a significant portion of this spending going toward PPC advertising.

PPC Campaign Management involves setting up. and managing PPC advertising campaigns to achieve specific business goals.

This includes choosing the right keywords, creating compelling ad copies, setting up bidding strategies, and monitoring and analyzing campaign performance.

For beginners, Google Ads is the recommended ad network to start with because of its interface and extensive features.

To succeed in PPC advertising, it is essential to stay updated with the latest trends and best practices.

Some of the best practices include optimizing landing pages, researching and selecting the right keywords, testing and refining ad copies, and continually monitoring and analyzing campaign performance.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is all about sending promotional messages. Or newsletters to a targeted audience via email.

It has been a staple in digital marketing for many years, and for good reason.

According to statistics, email marketing has an average ROI of 3800%. Making it one of the most effective digital marketing channels available.

To be successful in email marketing, it’s important to focus on these four main areas:

Email list building, email campaign design, email campaign management, and email analytics.

Email list building involves collecting email addresses from potential customers. Who has shown an interest in your products or services.

This can be done through opt-in forms on your website, social media platforms. or through other marketing channels.

Email campaign design involves creating visually appealing. and engaging emails that are tailored to your audience.

This includes designing email templates and creating compelling subject lines. And writing high-quality content that resonates with your subscribers.

Email campaign management involves delivering your email campaigns. to your subscribers at the right time and frequency.

This includes managing your email list and segmenting your audience. And ensuring that your emails are delivered to the right people at the right time.

Email analytics involves tracking the performance of your email campaigns. and making data-driven decisions to improve their effectiveness.

This includes measuring metrics. such as open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and subscriber engagement.

Successful email marketing involves a combination of these four areas. And it’s important to continually optimize and refine your email campaigns to ensure maximum impact.

Marketing automation

Marketing Automation refers to the process of automating repetitive tasks. such as sending emails, social media updates, lead scoring, and lead nurturing, among others.

Marketing Automation tools can help businesses increase productivity, reduce operational costs, and improve customer experience.

One essential aspect of Marketing Automation is Lead Management.

This involves tracking and managing potential customers’ interactions with your business. from initial contact to sales conversion.

By automating this process, businesses can create more targeted and personalized campaigns. Improve customer engagement, and increase revenue.

A successful Marketing Automation Strategy requires businesses to understand their target audience. Create buyer personas, and develop compelling content.

With the help of Marketing Automation tools. Businesses can segment their audiences based on various criteria. such as location, interests, and behaviors.

This enables them to send targeted messages to their audience. increasing the chances of conversion.

Another crucial element of Marketing Automation is lead nurturing.

Which involves developing relationships with potential customers. By providing them with valuable and relevant content.

This process aims to guide potential customers through the buyer’s journey. until they are ready to make a purchase.

3 examples of a successful digital marketing campaign

In each of these examples, the companies utilized different digital marketing strategies to connect with their target audience and increase revenue.

By analyzing customer behavior and preferences, companies can create effective digital marketing campaigns that drive results.

“Live There” Campaign

Airbnb’s “Live There” campaign was launched in 2016 to encourage travelers to stay in their listings and live like locals.

The campaign targeted travelers who wanted unique experiences. and who preferred to stay in local neighborhoods rather than in tourist areas.

As a result, Airbnb saw a 9% increase in bookings and a 7% increase in revenue.

“Share a Coke” Campaign

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign was launched in 2011 in Australia. and has since been implemented in over 80 countries.

The campaign involved printing popular names on Coca-Cola bottles. and encouraging consumers to share a Coke with someone whose name was on the bottle.

This campaign led to a 7% increase in sales in the US alone and a 2.5% increase in worldwide sales.

Personalized Recommendations

Amazon’s personalized recommendations are a form of digital marketing. That uses data to suggest products to customers based on their browsing and purchase history.

This campaign has been incredibly successful, with Amazon reporting that 35% of its revenue comes from recommendations.

Personalized recommendations also lead to higher customer engagement and increased customer loyalty.

The challenges of digital marketing

Increasing competition:

With the rise of digital marketing. There is a significant increase in competition as more and more businesses are vying for the same target audience’s attention.

This means that businesses need to work harder to stand out from the crowd and make their brand more visible.

Keeping up with the latest trends:

The digital marketing landscape is continually growing. With new trends and technologies emerging.

Businesses need to keep up with the latest trends to stay relevant. and maintain a competitive edge.

Failure to do so can lead to decreased engagement and poor performance.

Managing data overload:

With digital marketing, businesses have access to an overwhelming amount of data.

Analyzing this data and extracting useful insights can be a challenging task. Especially for businesses without a dedicated data analytics team.

Adapting to platform changes:

Digital marketing platforms, such as social media, frequently change their algorithms and policies.

Requiring businesses to adapt quickly to these changes to maintain their online presence.

Balancing automation and personalization:

Automation is a crucial aspect of digital marketing. Allowing businesses to reach a broader audience and streamline their processes.

However, businesses must balance automation with personalization to avoid losing the human touch. and building meaningful connections with their customers.

The impact of AI in digital marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently played a great role in digital marketing.

It has become an indispensable tool for digital marketers. As it enables them to make data-driven decisions and provides a competitive edge.

One of the ways AI is helping digital marketers is by improving the targeting of ads.

AI algorithms analyze user behavior and use this data to identify potential customers. Create personalized ads, and target them with precision.

This leads to higher conversion rates and ultimately, more revenue for businesses.

For example, Google’s AdWords uses machine learning to optimize ad targeting and bidding to achieve better results.

AI also helps with content creation. AI tools can generate content and create personalized emails.

And suggest optimized headlines, making the content creation process more efficient and effective.

One such example is The Washington Post, which uses Heliograf. an AI tool, to create articles, freeing up their journalists to focus on more in-depth pieces.

In addition, AI-powered chatbots have become increasingly popular in customer service.

These bots can answer simple queries, provide personalized recommendations, and solve problems quickly. Without the need for human intervention.

This has led to improved customer satisfaction and reduced response times. For instance, Domino’s Pizza uses AI-powered chatbots to take customer orders. Providing a faster and more convenient experience for customers.