What Does a Digital Marketing Company Do? 

Do you remember the days of flipping through the Yellow Pages? If you do, you may not be fully up-to-speed on *what* digital marketing is. Let's take a look together!
A digital marketing company doing what it is that they do!

Why Your Business Needs a Digital Marketing Superhero

Remember the Yellow Pages?

I do, but I’m old.

Suffice it to say, the Yellow Pages were a sub-optimal way to find what you were looking for. They were heavy (everyone forgets that) and featured tiny, wispy strips of paper, easily torn, yet nearly impossible to separate. Fonts were ridiculously tiny.

Picture someone trying to find your business buried in there. Not exactly a recipe for success, right?

In today’s digital world, this analogy is the equivalent of not having a strong online presence. That’s where digital marketing companies come in, and we are way more than just fancy website builders.

The numbers don’t lie. Businesses with strong digital marketing strategies generate 67% more leads than those without, according to HubSpot’s 2023 Marketing Industry Trends Report. That’s not a small edge, it’s a massive advantage in today’s competitive landscape.

Global digital advertising spending reached a staggering $567 billion in 2023 and is projected to climb past $645 billion by 2024. Why such massive investment? Because it works.

Businesses aren’t throwing money into a black hole, they’re investing in proven methods that deliver tangible results.

These statistics reinforce what I’ve seen firsthand with my clients: businesses that neglect their digital presence are essentially handing market share to their competitors. You wouldn’t open a store in an abandoned shopping mall, so why would you neglect the digital spaces where your customers spend hours every day?

Think of a digital marketing company as your GPS for an ever-growing online jungle. Digital marketing companies don’t just drop your business in a random corner; they use tools like engaging content marketing (think blog posts and social media that don’t suck!), SEO services wizardry (getting your website to the top of search results), and smart social and search advertising to attract the right customers.

A good digital marketing agency will help you build real connections with your audience through genuine interactions and content that clicks. And instead of being lost in the paper chase, your business is a thriving online hub where potential customers easily find you, get to know you, and become fans.

So, what’s the mysterious digital marketing process all about? Let’s take a look and see how digital marketing (and a company to execute it!) can transform the success of your business.

A digital marketing company specializes in leveraging online channels to promote businesses, including services such as content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), video marketing, Google Ads/PPC, email marketing, and social media marketing. These agencies help businesses grow organic traffic to their website, generate sales-ready leads, expand brand reach, and improve overall marketing efforts using targeted online strategies.

Defining a Digital Marketing Agency

digital marketing agency acts as a savvy navigator, guiding businesses through the vast ocean of shiny marketing objects (always a hazard in this niche!) toward success in reaching and engaging their target audience.

Digital marketing agencies are typically composed of creative thinkers, data analysts, and technical experts who collaborate to push potential customers closer to the business’s presence in the digital realm.

With an array of strategies and tools at their disposal, digital marketing professionals assist businesses in growing, from boosting website traffic to generating sales leads and enhancing brand awareness.

One vital aspect of a digital marketing agency’s role is utilizing content marketing to create “valuable” (always a tricky definition), topically-relevant content that captivates and retains a clearly defined audience, ultimately prompting profitable customer action.

Content marketing can be in the form of blog posts, videos, social media content, and more. It focuses on appealing to people who are actively searching, instead of interrupting them with yucky, unwanted ads.

For instance, when a digital marketing agency provides a client with search engine optimization (SEO) services, they aim to enhance the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing visibility in organic (non-paid) search engine results.

This involves optimizing the website’s architecture, content (the stuff people see), meta tags, schema (the stuff people don’t see), and other factors to make the pages on your website more likely to appear near the top of search results.

Another critical task is social media marketing, where agencies leverage various social media platforms to connect with audiences and build a brand. Whether it’s crafting compelling posts or running targeted ad campaigns, social media provides a potent way for businesses to engage with their customers where they spend much of their time.

It’s important to recognize the multifaceted role of digital marketing agencies. They don’t just focus on one aspect; instead, they blend various tools like email marketing and pay-per-click advertising for an integrated approach that ensures a business gets maximum exposure in the crowded digital landscape.

Don’t believe anyone who tells you email marketing is dead. It’s actually more effective than ever when done correctly. Campaign Monitor’s 2023 report revealed that email marketing delivers an average return of $36 for every $1 spent.

That’s a 3,600% ROI, making it one of the most cost-effective tools in the digital marketing toolkit.

The key to modern email marketing isn’t just blasting messages to a list. It’s about creating personalized experiences that feel tailor-made for each recipient.

Digital marketing agencies use automation tools to segment audiences and trigger messages based on specific actions. Welcome sequences greet new subscribers, abandoned cart reminders gently nudge potential customers, and re-engagement campaigns rekindle relationships with dormant contacts.

I’ve seen firsthand how strategic email campaigns can transform a business’s relationship with its customers. When your messages arrive at exactly the right moment with exactly the right offer, they don’t feel like marketing, they feel like help.

Understanding the diverse toolkit and skills such agencies use in their practice enables us to appreciate the depth and expertise involved in their work.

Mobile Marketing: The Pocket-Sized Powerhouse

If your business isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re missing out on more than half your potential audience. That’s not hyperbole, it’s data. According to Statista, mobile devices generated approximately 58.33% of global website traffic in 2023.

Think about your own habits. How often is your phone within arm’s reach? For most people, the answer is “always.”

This constant connection creates unprecedented opportunities for businesses to reach customers at precisely the right moment.

Digital marketing agencies like mine specialize in creating mobile-responsive websites and campaigns that work flawlessly on smaller screens. This means designing layouts that adapt to different device sizes, implementing accelerated mobile pages (AMP) for lightning-fast loading times, and creating thumb-friendly navigation that feels intuitive.

Google’s mobile-first indexing policy, fully implemented in 2021, makes mobile optimization a necessity rather than a luxury. Simply put, Google now primarily uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking.

If your mobile experience is subpar, your search visibility will suffer, regardless of how beautiful your desktop site might be.

I often see small businesses with websites that look great on desktop but transform into unusable messes on mobile. The result? Frustrated potential customers who quickly bounce to a competitor’s more user-friendly site.

A good digital marketing agency prevents this costly mistake by ensuring your brand shines on screens of all sizes.

Key Roles of a Digital Marketing Agency

Digital marketing agencies take on several crucial roles to ensure their clients’ success in a crowded online marketplace. One such role is creating digital marketing strategies. It’s like charting a course on a map for a ship to follow; only in this case, it’s about guiding a business toward its customers and goals.

This involves identifying the specific groups of people or “audiences” that a business wants to reach, then finding the best ways to reach them through digital channels like social media, search engines, and websites. It’s all about pinpointing where potential customers are and making sure they see what the business has to offer.

For instance, if a company wants to sell new running shoes, its digital marketing strategy might include targeting people who visit fitness websites or who have previously searched for workout gear online. This way, the advertising reaches the right people instead of being seen by everyone, with most not even interested in buying new shoes.

After creating an effective strategy, it’s time for the next big role—an agency gets down to actually executing campaigns. It’s like building on that earlier plan by setting everything in motion.

This can involve managing social media pages so they are working hard for clients—posting regularly and engaging with their audience. Engagement means responding to all comments, @ mentioning specific users, and commenting on their posts as well. It’s pick-and-shovel work, though automation can often be brought to bear on the challenge.

Then there’s creating and optimizing content, making sure web pages are as attractive and informative as possible to encourage visitors and keep them coming back for more.

If you have ever thought why ads related to things you’ve been looking at online pop up later, it could be due to some excellent campaign execution by a digital marketing agency. They do this by running paid advertising campaigns strategically targeted at specific groups of potential customers.

You can think of this step as similar to planting seeds—by posting in the right places and creating the right types of content, you’re helping people recognize your business and recognize your products and services as something valuable.

Finally, one of the most important things a digital marketing agency does is monitoring and analyzing performance. Just like how you’d keep track of how well your garden is growing.

This means always keeping an eye on how well everything is working—the website visits, social media interactions, and ad clicks—in order to understand how well all the strategies and campaigns are performing.

It also involves diving deep into data analytics to understand customer behavior—learning what people are doing on the website, what they are clicking on, what interests them most, and so on.

Think of this as being like studying nature: just as observing behavior can help you predict what animals will do next, understanding customer behavior can help marketers predict what product or service might interest them next.

In summary, digital marketing agencies wear numerous hats—from strategic planners to campaign executors and analytical thinkers—all working together to ensure businesses effectively reach and engage with their target audience in the digital realm. Each role plays an integral part in guiding businesses toward achieving their marketing goals and standing out among online competitors.

Strategy and Content Generation

Creating great content involves more than just writing words or making a cool video. It’s about understanding who you want to see it and how it will make them feel and act. Good content isn’t just a bunch of words—it’s strategic storytelling that connects with your audience.

Firstly, defining your strategy means understanding your goal. Are you trying to get people to see your brand in a new light, or are you aiming to increase online sales? Once you know what you’re aiming for, you can develop a plan to get there by creating meaningful and engaging content.

For instance, if the goal is to increase brand awareness, the strategy might involve creating visual stories and compelling articles that highlight what makes your brand unique. On the other hand, if the goal is lead generation, the strategy might involve creating informative content such as whitepapers or webinars that provide valuable insights for potential customers.

Whether it’s crafting an engaging post for social media or shooting a professional video, every piece of content should be strategically created with a clear purpose in mind. Each element serves as a building block that aligns with the overall marketing strategy.

Furthermore, a successful digital marketing agency understands that content creation extends beyond words on a page. It also involves visual storytelling through captivating images, infographics, and videos. These elements help convey brand messages effectively and attract attention in an increasingly crowded digital landscape.

The Role of SEO in Content Ideation & Generation

An important factor to consider in content creation is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is the practice of optimizing content to rank higher on search engine results pages. By integrating relevant keywords, creating high-quality backlinks, and implementing meta descriptions, digital marketing agencies ensure that their clients’ content is visible and discoverable by their target audience when they search for related topics.

Here’s an example: If you run a bakery and have a blog post about “How to make the perfect croissant”, a sound SEO strategy ensures that your post shows up when someone searches for “best croissant recipes near me” or other topically-similar queries.

Remember, good SEO practices aren’t about using tricks to game the system. They’re about enhancing the quality of your content so that it’s helpful and relevant to your audience. This way, digital marketing agencies can drive organic traffic to their clients’ websites, boosting visibility and reach.

In essence, strategic content generation involves thoughtful planning and execution across various digital channels while adhering to sound SEO principles to maximize reach and engagement.

Video Marketing: Moving Pictures, Moving Results

Video isn’t just a part of the internet anymore, it practically is the internet. YouTube alone processes more than 1 billion hours of video watched daily. That’s billion with a B.

According to Wyzowl’s 2023 State of Video Marketing report, 91% of businesses now use video as a marketing tool, up from 61% in 2016. The reason for this dramatic shift is simple: video works.

It engages, explains, and converts like no other medium.

As a digital marketing agency, we develop comprehensive video strategies for clients that go far beyond simply pointing a camera and hoping for the best. Product demonstrations show rather than tell, explaining complex features in seconds.

Explainer videos break down complicated concepts into digestible chunks. Customer testimonials build trust through social proof. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand and fosters connection.

Different platforms require different approaches. TikTok and Instagram Reels thrive on short, vertical, high-energy content that hooks viewers in seconds. YouTube rewards longer, more detailed content that keeps viewers engaged.

A skilled digital marketing team understands these fine differences and adapts accordingly.

The impact of video on key metrics can be dramatic. According to Unbounce research, including videos on landing pages can increase conversion rates by up to 80%. That’s not a slight improvement, it’s a transformation of your marketing effectiveness.

Video also plays well with search engines when properly optimized. Keyword-rich titles, detailed descriptions, and accurate closed captions all help your videos get discovered by the right audience.

This SEO-focused approach ensures your video content isn’t just attention-grabbing, but also findable by those actively searching for what you offer.

If you’ve been hesitant to embrace video marketing due to perceived complexity or cost, you’re not alone. Many small business owners tell me they feel intimidated by video.

The good news? Today’s tools make video marketing more accessible than ever, and a good agency can guide you through the process painlessly.

Analyzing Data and Customer Behavior

“So what caused that big dip in the middle of the month, Mr. Anderson?”

Imagine having a map that illustrates the exact paths your customers take when they visit your website or interact with your ads on social media. That’s essentially what data analytics does for a digital marketing agency. Sophisticated tools track and analyze how customers behave online.

These tools help digital marketers see which pages on a website receive the most attention, how long visitors stay on each page, which links they click, and even where they come from before they arrive at the site. Moreover, data analytics can reveal important details about customer demographics, their preferences, and the devices they use. This kind of information is gold for ensuring that digital marketing efforts resonate with the right audience.

The real power of modern digital marketing comes from automating personalized experiences at scale. Tools like HubSpot, Marketo, and Mailchimp allow agencies to create sophisticated marketing workflows that would be impossible to manage manually.

The global marketing automation market was valued at $4.06 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.3% from 2023 to 2030, according to Grand View Research.

This rapid growth reflects how valuable these tools have become for businesses of all sizes.

These platforms help us map your customer’s path from first contact to loyal advocate. They score leads based on behavior, ensuring your sales team focuses on the most promising prospects.

They deliver personalized content based on past interactions, creating an experience that feels custom-crafted for each individual.

I’ve seen small businesses transform their marketing effectiveness through smart automation. When a prospect downloads your guide, they automatically receive a series of helpful follow-up emails.

When someone abandons their cart, they get a gentle reminder. When a customer hasn’t purchased in a while, they receive a special offer. All without you lifting a finger.

The result is marketing that feels less like broadcasting and more like conversation, building relationships through relevant, timely interactions that respond to actual customer behavior.

Understanding customer behavior patterns allows for more personalized and effective marketing campaigns.

For example, if a digital marketing agency knows that a certain demographic prefers videos over long-form content, they can focus on video content creation. Likewise, if they notice customers dropping off at a certain point in the sales funnel, they can make changes to improve conversion rates.

Data analysis goes beyond just understanding what customers like; it also helps predict what they might favor in the future. By examining past customer behavior and engagement patterns, digital marketers can make educated guesses about what might work in the future.

For instance, if a company notices that certain emails have high open rates and click-through rates due to specific subject lines, they can then apply those successful elements to future email campaigns.

This type of analytics doesn’t just benefit the marketing team; it also provides valuable insights for product development and customer service. Remember, these data represent the actual habits and traits of real people who interact with your business. By understanding customer behavior patterns and feedback, your company can develop products and services that better cater to your customers’ needs.

By analyzing customer behavior and interpreting the data obtained, digital marketing agencies can refine their strategies, effectively allocate resources, enhance user experience, and ultimately increase overall return on investment for businesses. It’s not just about looking at numbers – it’s about using those numbers to tell a meaningful story about how customers engage with the brand.

Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketing Company

When you hire a digital marketing company, it’s not just about offloading the responsibility; it’s about tapping into expert skills, saving money, and taking your business to the next level.

Let’s unpack these important benefits one by one.

Expertise and Specialization

Digital marketing agencies bring in-depth knowledge and expertise in various areas of online marketing. They’re not simply using guesswork – they have professional knowledge and experience that significantly drive online growth for businesses.

From understanding the complexities of search engine optimization (SEO) to harnessing the power of social media marketing, an experienced digital marketing agency can offer specialized skills that surpass what an in-house team might be capable of. They know how to craft compelling content, where to place ads for maximum reach, and they comprehend the intricate details of Google Ads and PPC campaigns. Their industry expertise gives you access to a wealth of specialist talent, all working together with your business goals in mind.

Cost-Effectiveness

Outsourcing your digital marketing efforts to an agency can prove to be more budget-friendly than maintaining an in-house team. When you hire an agency, you’re essentially accessing an entire team of specialists, including copywriters, SEO experts, social media managers, and more. This means no need to bear the costs associated with recruiting, training, salaries, benefits, and overheads for an internal marketing department, which can add up significantly over time.

Consider this scenario: If you were to hire each specialized individual needed for comprehensive digital marketing efforts internally, it would require a hefty financial commitment—the salary for an SEO expert, social media manager, content writer, web designer, and so on—along with employee benefits, office space, equipment costs, and software subscriptions. On the other hand, when working with a digital marketing agency that provides a range of services under one roof, you get access to all these specialized talents at a fraction of the cost.

So not only does hiring a digital marketing company provide professional expertise but it also saves you substantial money in the long run.

In navigating the digital landscape for your business transformation, making the right choice is paramount. Now let’s uncover essential criteria that will empower you to choose the perfect partner for your digital marketing journey.

How You Can Choose the Right Company

Choosing the right digital marketing company for your business can be a game-changer, but it’s not as simple as picking a name out of a hat. In fact, several important factors must be considered to make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals and objectives.

Define Your Goals Clearly

Before you start looking at potential marketing partners, take the time to clearly define what you want to achieve with your digital marketing efforts. Whether it’s increasing website traffic, improving lead generation, or enhancing brand visibility, having clear goals will better equip you to evaluate whether a particular agency aligns with your needs. Without defined goals, it’s like driving without a destination—you won’t know if you’ve arrived where you wanted to be.

Assess Expertise and Track Record

One of the most crucial aspects of choosing a digital marketing company is evaluating their expertise and track record. Take a close look at their portfolio, client testimonials, and case studies. Look for success stories and client retention rates to gauge their track record and ensure they have a history of producing measurable results. Think of this process as checking their references before deciding.

Alignment with Your Industry

The digital marketing agency you choose should ideally have experience working within your industry or niche. They should understand the specific nuances and challenges that come with digital marketing in your industry, as this knowledge can greatly impact the success of the strategies and initiatives they develop for you. For instance, an agency experienced in healthcare marketing might have unique insights into patient behaviors and healthcare regulations that would be highly valuable to your medical practice.

Overall, when choosing a digital marketing company, it’s essential to have clarity on your business goals, thoroughly review their expertise and track record, and consider their alignment with your industry or niche. This thoughtful approach will set you up for success by ensuring that both parties are on the same page and fully equipped to achieve your desired results.

With a solid understanding of how to select the right digital marketing company under your belt, let’s now explore the profound impact that strategic digital marketing efforts can have on propelling business growth and success.

The Impact of Digital Marketing on Business Growth

In the world of modern business, digital marketing isn’t just a small cog in the wheel; it’s the engine that propels business growth forward. It’s like having a superpower—the ability to reach out to potential customers in ways that traditional marketing methods never could. A well-thought-out digital marketing strategy isn’t just about getting more people to visit your website or buy your products. It’s about building relationships with your audience, fostering trust, and ultimately boosting sales and revenue.

When you think about it, digital marketing can be compared to a busy marketplace—your brand is a stall among many others, all vying for attention. With an effective digital marketing strategy, your stall grabs the most visitors’ eyes, bringing them closer to see what you have to offer. It’s not just about bringing in crowds either—it’s also about keeping them engaged once they’re there.

Digital marketing has the power to:

  • Expand Brand Reach: By leveraging diverse channels such as social media, search engines, email, and content marketing, businesses can expand their brand reach far beyond traditional methods.
  • Generate Leads: Digital marketing offers several avenues for lead generation, from compelling content and social media engagement to targeted advertising and email campaigns.
  • Increase Website Traffic: Through search engine optimization (SEO), paid advertising, and engaging content, digital marketing strategies can drive more traffic to your website.
  • Boost Sales and Revenue: Ultimately, the goal of any business is to increase sales and revenue. And this is where digital marketing truly shines—it provides measurable results and a clear return on investment.

One of the most compelling aspects of digital marketing is its ability to provide concrete evidence of success. Unlike traditional advertising methods such as print or radio ads, digital marketing allows for precise tracking of results. From the number of clicks on an ad to the conversion rate of a landing page, every aspect can be measured and optimized for maximum impact.

Take a local bakery that used to rely solely on foot traffic and word-of-mouth. By embracing digital marketing strategies such as social media promotion and targeted online ads, they were able to not only expand their customer base but also track exactly how many orders came from each campaign.

In essence, the impact of digital marketing on business growth extends beyond mere numbers; it shapes how brands connect with their audiences and build relationships that foster long-term loyalty. It’s not just about immediate gains; it’s about creating sustained success through meaningful engagement and strategic positioning in the digital landscape.

Ready to take charge of your brand’s destiny? Contact us today here: Boomcycle

What qualifications and skills should I look for when choosing a digital marketing company?

When choosing a digital marketing company, look for qualifications and skills such as experience in various digital marketing channels (social media, SEO, PPC), knowledge of analytics and data interpretation, creativity in developing effective campaigns, and strong communication and project management abilities. According to a survey by Clutch, 52% of businesses consider expertise in their industry as an important qualification when selecting a digital marketing agency. Moreover, a report by Smart Insights revealed that companies with strong digital marketing strategies are 2.8 times more likely to see revenue growth.

What services does a digital marketing company typically offer?

A digital marketing company typically offers a range of services including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content creation, pay-per-click advertising, and email marketing. These services help businesses increase their online visibility, reach their target audience, drive traffic to their website, and ultimately generate leads and conversions. According to a survey by Smart Insights, SEO is considered the most effective digital marketing tactic by 55% of marketers, followed by content marketing at 41%. Furthermore, Statista reports that worldwide digital advertising spending is projected to reach $517 billion in 2023, highlighting the growing importance and demand for digital marketing services.

Can a digital marketing company provide measurable results and return on investment?

Yes, a digital marketing company can provide measurable results and a solid return on investment (ROI). Through tracking software and analytics tools, they can measure the performance of various digital marketing strategies such as SEO, social media marketing, and PPC advertising. According to a study by Deloitte, businesses that invested in digital marketing experienced an average 3.3 times increase in revenue and a 2.8 times increase in employment growth compared to those who didn’t invest in digital strategies. This demonstrates the effectiveness of digital marketing in generating tangible results and ROI for businesses.

How can a digital marketing company help businesses increase their online presence?

A digital marketing company can help businesses increase their online presence by utilizing various strategies such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content creation, and pay-per-click advertising. Through SEO techniques, they can improve a website’s visibility in search engine results, driving organic traffic. Social media marketing helps engage with target audiences, building brand awareness and driving website traffic. Compelling content creation establishes thought leadership and keeps the audience engaged. Pay-per-click advertising allows businesses to reach specific demographics and drive immediate conversions. According to a survey by HubSpot, 57% of businesses have gained customers specifically through blogging, demonstrating the power of content in increasing online presence.

Are there different types of digital marketing companies that specialize in specific areas?

Yes, there are different types of digital marketing companies that specialize in specific areas. For example, there are companies that focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to improve website rankings on search engines like Google. Others may specialize in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to drive traffic through targeted ads. Some companies may specialize in social media marketing, content creation, email marketing, or data analytics. According to a survey by Statista, around 47% of businesses outsource their content marketing needs to specialized agencies. This highlights the demand for companies with specific expertise in digital marketing areas.

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