Digital marketing represents the science of promoting a brand, business, service, or product – and as such, many people see it as mere online advertising.
Yet nuanced marketing delivers a lot more than just a catchphrase: today’s content is designed to inform, innovate, and inspire. Still, effective marketing
doesn’t need to consume your organization’s budget – as long as you’ve got your facts straight.

Myth #1: Social Media Does the Work of Digital Marketing

The majority of Americans use social media daily. And with two billion daily worldwide users and counting, Facebook hovers above the rest as the social
media giant. It’s no wonder, then, that many modern marketers assume that digital marketing means social media marketing, period.

There’s no doubt that social media has transformed the realm of online marketing, but that’s never the place to begin. Only your own website offers a hub,
which you can use as a “home base” for all your digital efforts. Concrete websites – as opposed to Facebook pages, for example – offer credibility,
plus more opportunities to blog and share ideas, coordinate discussions, and make relevant business information clear, like your hours, location, and
contact information. Bios elicit trust in your viewers – and they tell a story, too. A cohesive, uncluttered website allows easy description and illustration
of products or services, and it makes sharing testimonials – a valuable part of any company’s “street cred” – a straightforward experience for user
and marketer alike.

Tailor a social media presence that matches the tone and message of your website. And remember: Don’t overlook the potential of Facebook, Instagram, and
Snapchat – to name a few. These helpful complements to your website enable you to take polls, link to email marketing lists, and post valuable content
you stumble across – or create yourself. Still, social media’s no substitute for the real thing: your brand’s dedicated, personalized website.

Myth #2: Web Content is Like Pizza – Never Really Bad

We’re overloaded with information, and most of it’s irrelevant, designed not to inform but to distract. As such, today’s discerning consumers have come
to expect high-quality content alongside their purchasing experiences, and many are turning to their favorite brands for up-to-date information on
the issues they value most. The most successful companies today are ambassadors for a value system based on information, not just the bottom line.
As such, it’s imperative that you tailor your organization’s content to meet – and exceed – your audience’s expectations.

Modern content transcends the boundaries between mediums, melding video, written content, social media commentary, and customized discussion to create
a web presence that truly presents a 360-degree view for every client, every time.

Myth #3: Website Updates? Major Project.

It’s crucial for every digital marketer to embrace the concept of the micro-edit: Small, incremental additions of content, commentary, imagery, or video
– anything to keep audiences stimulated. Plus, websites that upload new content on a regular basis are looked upon favorably by Google, and thus enjoy
higher ranking than their more stagnant counterparts.

If uploading daily content sounds like a full-time job, consider thinking outside the box. Embedding Tweets and other social media posts makes it easy
to keep your audiences engaged, and that way, you’re harvesting your posts from elsewhere to build your website’s presence. Consider creating a series
of how-to content pieces that center on your passion, or dip into the realm of video production, an area that’s bound to take the content marketing
stage in 2018.

Take stock of your brand’s marketing strategy, and consider how you might rely less on social media, focus more on your brand’s dedicated site, or hone
in on a batch of tailored content bound to lure user’s in. Remember: it’s all about engagement, and where digital marketing is concerned, that’s coming
from all angles.