Smart digital marketing plans are no longer optional for businesses. In order to survive in today’s business world, you must have a smart digital marketing plan or else your business will fail. The reason for this is due to recent changes in consumer trends. According to Statista, 1.79 billion people worldwide bought goods or services online in the year 2018. Furthermore, this number is projected to increase to 1.92 billion by 2019. This means that businesses must be able to effectively market their products and/or services online or risk missing out on a high amount of revenue.
In this article, I will be discussing six tips for businesses that will help them come up with a smart digital marketing plan so that they can effectively market their products online.
1) Install a Chatbot on Your Website
Due to the improvement of artificial intelligence over the years, chatbots now have the ability to have conversations with visitors, and answer their questions just like a live human would. Not only can they do almost everything that a human can, but they are also cheaper than a customer support representative, (because they don’t need to be staffed) and are available for users to interact with 24/7. By providing this service for users, you are increasing their overall satisfaction and engagement with your brand. This is why installing chatbots on your website is an excellent way to do smarter digital marketing.
2) Implement a Mobile Strategy
A smart and effective digital marketing plan cannot be completed without implementing a mobile strategy. This is due to the number of people who now use their mobile phones to purchase goods and/or services. According to Statista, 39.6% of all retail e-commerce sales in the year 2018 were through mobile. Furthermore, this number is projected to reach 44.7% in 2019.
In order to implement a smart and effective mobile strategy, you should optimize your website for mobile, and create a mobile app. Doing both of these things will make your overall digital marketing plan smart and effective because they increase your customer engagement and customer satisfaction.
3) Use Data-Driven Marketing
Data-driven marketing refers to marketing strategies built on insights from the analysis of data and is based on consumer interactions and engagements. The information that is gathered through the use of this data is then used to formulate predictions about future consumer behaviors. For example, if your data suggests that more woman buy a particular product or service from your business than men, it would make sense for you to market that particular product or service for women as opposed to men. Not only is this a smart thing to do, but it also saves you time and money. Data-driven marketing is something that you should be including in your digital marketing plan for these reasons.
4) Market Via Social Media
Social media marketing is essentially the use of social media platforms to promote a business. Many reputable businesses use social media marketing because it is cost effective and time efficient. In addition, social media marketing allows you to manage your online reputation, build customer relationships, and enhance your brand. This, in turn, increases revenue. A majority of social media sites are free to use, so using them to help promote your business and increase your sales is why this strategy is an effective way to do smarter digital marketing. 
5) Team Up With Influencers
Influencers are people who have a large social media following. Due to their large social media following, your brand visibility will most likely increase as they help to promote your business. When choosing which influencer to team up with, you want to choose one that has some sort of relevance to your brand and is not a controversial figure. Keep that in mind when teaming up with any influencers if you want a smart and effective strategy that boosts your business.
6) Use Video Content
When it comes to creating content for your social media pages or company website, it is crucial that you try to incorporate as many videos as possible. According to the cloud-based video creation service Animoto, video ads are the primary way that consumers find out about a brand or product. However, it’s not enough to just create any video and call it a day. Your videos need to be informative and have a clear objective. If they don’t, then you will only end up hurting your brand rather than helping it. In addition to being informative and having a clear objective, these videos also need to be optimized for all digital platforms, especially mobile. Using video content is definitely something that every smart digital marketing plan should include.
In summary, digital marketing is extremely important in today’s business world. Without a smart digital marketing plan, your business is destined to fail. As long as you implement these six tips into your digital marketing plan, your business will be thriving in no time!
