Digital Marketing: Short-term Benefits Vs Long-term Growth
When talking about short-term benefits and long-term growth, nothing else could explain it better than the 2012 Haribo’s Gummy Bear TV advertisement. A group of children were made to sit in front of a Haribo candy. The challenge was that if they were able to resist the temptation of having the candy until a specific point of time, they would be rewarded with two such candies.
Sounds simple isn’t it?
Anybody would love to wait for two candies rather than one.
But absolutely A big NO.
Not even a single participant could resist the candy before them and did not wait to receive 2 candies.
This is a perfect reality scenario which reflects the idea of short-term benefits vs long-term growth.
Digital marketing aids in short term benefits, no doubt on that front. But the long term growth which it offers, such as overall business development, growth and success is what lasts for long. While making an investment in digital marketing, the priority should be logically structured in order to make the best and most out of the digital marketing campaign.
Short Term Benefits
Short term online marketing efforts tend to cause sudden sales spikes which last for a very limited period of time. While short term marketing offers sales, long term marketing efforts have to be blended in the right way with it to sustain the sales. Some digital marketing strategies offering short term benefits are as follows:
1. Pay Per Click Advertising
Pay-per-click campaigns are the easiest and fastest way to generate product sales. PPC drives significant targeted traffic. But the sad part is, when the campaign funding ends, the traffic and sales subside too.
2. Discounts & Coupons
Offering coupons, discounts, or limited-time offers which kindle product interest is another aspect of short term effects of digital marketing. Such offers have to be carefully exhibited only for a limited period of time, as they can affect long term sales, because customers wait to make a purchase only during sales promotion
3. Banner Ads
The number of visitors can increase quickly by banner ads as well. When you are a B2C business trying to reach a larger audience, banner ads are a suitable option. For smaller companies, banner ads are sometimes an expensive investment, for which the returns might not be worth.Similar to PPC, the advantages are quick sales. But if you stop investing on it, conversions also come to a halt.
Long Term Growth
Achieving long term results online definitely takes time and dedication that can be achieved through the following:
1. Search Engine Optimization
The most important aspect of long term growth through digital marketing is preparing and optimizing a website for search engines. Contrary to the popular misunderstanding that SEO is all about using the right keyword usage strategy, it is actually content marketing which acts as a backbone to help SEO in increasing your visibility online. Content marketing mainly includes creation of quality content and spreading it through different digital channels. But the biggest disadvantage happens when the SEO work is totally bad. A good work which is well-created will not fade away even for years after your business becomes passive.
2. Social Media
Social media plays an important role in spreading the word to the big world out there. Facebook and Twitter function as a network for spreading the content and develop an inter-personal relationship for the B2C business. LinkedIn on the other hand helps the B2B players.
3. E-Mail
E-Mail does not exactly work towards increasing sales, but it is an important tool to keep in touch with prospective clients, bring them to your website for selling or other activities. Compared to other sources, it is the most economical way of receiving clients.
The Bottom Line
To stay fit and healthy for lifetime, you need to follow a regular exercise regime, consume a balanced diet, and take good rest. Similarly, if you wish to establish your online presence for years, so to speak, then you have to set your aim towards long-term growth while investing for digital marketing which wins the whole game.