Krista Neher, chief executive officer of Boot Camp Digital, shares the secrets of effective digital marketing, and rates current efforts by companies at online branding.

Digital marketing should be considered distinct from traditional marketing, Neher says. But the real question to ask is: “How have buyers’ decision-making processes changed?” When all is said and done, the goal isn’t to use digital for the sake of it, but because it allows marketers to make intelligent decisions and persuade their target audiences.

Especially in the B2B space, digital today “is a huge part of the buyer’s journey,” Neher says. Marketers need to recognize that, by the time buyers are in their sales channels, “they’re already 50% of the way through the decision process. So where are they getting the data to inform that first 50%? Digital.”

Many sellers aren’t fully appreciating the role that digital plays in attracting potential buyers. They mistakenly believe that sales leads are coming entirely through their sales teams, so they’ll restrict online efforts to the obvious social media channels, or outdated websites. But it’s not enough to post on Facebook or Instagram, Neher says. “That’s not a strategy. The biggest mistake is that businesses get into activity mode before they’re thought of the point and purpose of each thing they’re doing.”

A second failure is a lack of measurements and key performance indicators, linked to best practices for waging effective campaigns. Without them, Neher says, businesses struggle to see the value of what they’re doing on the marketing end. 

Search engine optimization remains a key consideration of online marketing, but it’s evolved to the point where sellers need to do more than “game the system” or crack mysterious algorithms for ensuring high placement in internet searches. When approached correctly, Neher says, SEO can be a valuable tool for smaller merchandisers looking to distinguish themselves from the big mega-retailers. It provides “a free opportunity to get repeatable traffic that leads to your website.”

Hear more discussion about this crucial subject at the Global Supply Chain Marketing Summit, set for June 5-7, 2024 on Amelia Island, Florida.