Digital marketing continues to mature as an industry and it has become more apparent that companies must integrate digital marketing into their overall marketing strategy to succeed. Initially a differentiator, digital marketing strategies are a requirement to get on the playing field.

Companies from Nike and McDonald’s to the mom and pop store down the street are understanding this, and it is one of the fastest growing sectors of the marketing industry today.

As this trend continues, it becomes less valuable to simply have a digital marketing strategy.

The real value is created by having a specifically tailored strategy, fine-tuned for your unique needs.

For small to medium-size businesses, this has the potential to pose a problem. With a majority of time and resources already dedicated to essential business functions, where is there room for investment to develop this expertise in-house?

Companies grapple with this question and the industry has given rise to a booming segment within the marketing industry. Rather than have a dedicated full-time staff, many firms are taking an outside approach to solving this issue.

With today’s ever-shifting market, it is essential to stay up to date on current trends. The dialogue between companies and consumers is changing.

Consumers prefer active exchanges rather than traditional, passive interactions. With traditional marketing approaches firms blast their message out over the airwaves through advertising channels like radio, print, and television. But, in today’s world, this has fact has changed.

Brands must immerse consumers in their brand, engaging them on many different levels.

Interacting with potential customers to provide rich experiences.

As these truths are understood this creates the need for an integrated digital strategy. With many moving parts to the digital equation (web development, search engine optimization, social media marketing, content creation, etc.), it pays to centralize these activities in order to adopt a comprehensive strategy.

Individual pieces of the puzzle must relate back to the whole, creating a strong, unified message. In essence, this realization was the birth of experiential marketing.

With the growth of experiential marketing the industry has morphed. Traditional advertising channels have maintained popularity, but more is needed to stay relevant in today’s market. As the industry moves forward, it pays to take a proactive approach rather than a reactive one in regard to marketing strategy.

Predict trends. Be nimble. Be prepared.

Whether you take the time to develop an in-house digital marketing team or decide to work an established company in the industry, the facts remains the same:

The importance of digital marketing will only continue to grow, becoming more and more essential to business as we move throughout the 21st century.

Do you have questions or inquiries? Contact us today for your web development, SEO, and social media marketing needs.

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