The fact is that this led us to make the decision to put a concrete roof on the house sooner than had been planned, however, although my house had already been built for years, to add that roof and the possibility of building above What is now my uncle’s house, it was necessary to strengthen the foundations. In other words, the house had to be practically redone, adding stronger columns and beams.
The construction manager explained to me that these columns must be placed in strategic places in the construction and that there must be a distance X between them so that the building is stable. If a column is missing at one of those points, and when building above, the lives of the people who will live in said construction, both above and below, could be endangered.
He also explained to me that if the house had been built correctly from the beginning, the transition to a concrete roof would have been less long, traumatic and complicated, not to mention that it would have been more economical. In other words, it would not have been necessary to make new columns.
We could have simply chosen to buy the Zinc again and install it perhaps stronger, but running the risk of losing it when another hurricane arrived, among other things.
And you will ask me, what the hell does this have to do with digital marketing? Well, Enough… And below I’ll tell you why.
We can perfectly compare the digital presence of a business with the construction history of my house.
The house built with a Zinc roof is the typical digital presence created by flying kicks, emotional, romantic, that understands that Instagram is the center of everything, that chases likes and followers and that pays for influencers without a clear objective, only to make noise.
That digital presence can be functional (like my house with zinc) to a certain extent, but when a moment of crisis arrives (like when the platform falls), you are with your hands on your head, and the business is paralyzed. What happened? Simple, nothing more and nothing less than the cyclone arrived and took the roof off your house.
That’s where you have to decide. Do you go back to the same thing or do you build a sustainable, strong, truly functional digital presence that does not fail you in the moment of crisis and that allows you to grow?
If you decide on the first option, I would tell you that it is your right, but I understand that it is not the wisest decision, since it is recommended that you decide once and for all to strengthen your business to avoid future situations.
How can you strengthen the digital presence of your business? Well, just as we did with my house, reestablishing its foundations, building strong columns or pillars that allow it not only to stand but also to grow. And this is where the 5 Pillars of Digital Marketing come into play.
What is a Pillar?
First thing is, according to the RAE, a pillar is a resistant structural element, with a polygonal or circular section, with a support function.
Now flattened: it is a kind of column or support that contributes to the maintenance of a structure, that is, everything that is essential and fundamental.
What are the Pillars of Digital Marketing?
They are essential elements that must be taken into account by every business when having a presence on the Internet, since they will help it sustain itself, remain, achieve its objectives, remain current, and grow, even in times of crisis.
Now, what are the 5 Pillars of Digital Marketing?
When I started to conceptualize this, well obviously I did my research. When I put the Keyword in Google “pillars of Digital Marketing” What I find is a series of lists of digital marketing tactics, tools, and/or platforms, which I find funny considering how much things change on the Internet.
By this I don’t mean that these tactics, platforms or tools are unnecessary… I will NEVER say that. However, to be called PILLARS, I understand that they must be essential elements in the survival of an Internet business, so I understand that we should not call something whose validity may be perishable “pillar.”
Having said this, I share with you what I have named, from my experience, as the 5 Pillars of Digital Marketing, a digital marketing implementation model composed of a group of elements and actions that, applied in an organized and strategic way, form the basis of a strong digital presence that is successful, sustainable and ready for growth. These pillars are:
- Self-knowledge
- Customer
- Purchase Cycle
- Content
- Strategy
In the time that I have been immersed in the world of Digital Marketing, I have discovered and embraced the importance of these 5 elements for every business, and I have seen that the most successful are those who pay attention to them, and now we are going to see why.
The First Pillar: Self-knowledge
You would be surprised by the number of companies that do not clearly know their identity, and yet expect to be able to connect with the consumer.
If you don’t know who you are, how do you expect other people to know? That is why the first step before starting to publish like crazy on the Internet is introspection:
- What are you doing?
- What sets you apart from others?
- But more importantly: Why do you do it?
Understanding this will completely transform the way you project your business, and the way you convey it to the consumer.
The Second Pillar: The Client
What business survives without customers? If you find one, let me know and I’ll leave this.
The customer is the heart of your business, so maintaining a healthy relationship with them should be your number 1 priority. You must know, understand them, know their problems and needs, their preferences, the digital platforms they prefer, how they consume content, etc
The customer is the heart of your business, so maintaining a healthy relationship with them should be your number 1 priority. You must know, and understand them, know their problems and needs, their preferences, the digital platforms they prefer, how they consume content, etc
And when I talk about a client, I mean the one who hasn’t arrived and the one who is already with you.
Here comes the scene Buyer Persona, that semi-fictional profile that represents your ideal client.
Furthermore, the tools you use to manage your relationship with that client from the first contact also play an important role here… Yes, I am referring to the CRM.
The treatment you give to that client is essential for the survival or failure of your business.
The Third Pillar: Purchase Cycle
Do you know the route the consumer goes through to reach you? That is the series of steps they take before becoming your customer and even after their purchase.
Knowing the purchase cycle allows you to take actions to connect with the consumer in each of these steps, through different actions.
Many businesses are unaware of this information, and in many cases, those who do know it simply overlook it. And that is why we see them advertising on networks, billboards, television, etc. but when you search for them on the Internet, you find very little information. Since they are focusing, more than anything, on generating stimulus advertising, but they are not there for the consumer when they need them most.
The Fourth Pillar: The Content
What is the best way to connect with the consumer through their purchasing process? Well, through the content.
Content is the answer to all consumer questions, but this content must be:
- Useful
- In appropriate format and length
- Prompt
- Relevant
The content you share should help people solve their problems, but be careful, it is not about creating crazy content. You must carry out an organized content development process, which will allow you to obtain positive results, that is:
- More engagement
- More conversions
- More sales
The content will be what will make the consumer discover you, know you, trust you and become your client.
That content is what will speak for your business, so make sure that what you say reaches the heart and mind of the consumer, not just their pocket.
The Fifth Pillar: Strategy
That series of steps that will lead you to achieve your business objectives.
This pillar, in turn, is also like a beam that connects the 5 pillars with your business. This is where you define:
- What is your starting point?
- What do you want to achieve? Qualitatively and quantitatively.
- What route will you take to achieve those goals?
- What will be the specific actions you will take to achieve those goals?
- How will you implement those actions?
- And how will you measure the performance of these actions?
The strategy is what will allow you to continue the operation of your business even if the platforms go down.
The strategy is what separates you from the businesses that have spent the entire Coronavirus time ONLY doing lives, or from those that only publish famous phrases and anniversaries. NOTE: it doesn’t mean it’s bad, but MY GOD… There are many other actions.
In other words, strategy is what stops you from going around throwing flying kicks.
The 5 Pillars of Digital Marketing Model
The main headache of every business is: how can I sell more? All your effort, time, and budget are focused on that goal, but what happens? who is making that valuable investment in the old house with a zinc roof and dubious structure? So, as I said at the beginning, it may generate certain positive results, but it is not exploiting its maximum power, in addition to this more structured old house being sustainable, much less safe.
To help you with that headache, I have created this 5-pillar model, which will help you focus on what is truly important, landing your business, so that it flies higher, working on the essentials to have a SUCCESSFUL digital presence, based on real results, not just likes and comments.
A business with a strong digital structure can focus and work hard to achieve its objectives and track them. You will not be working blindly, but you will have a clear goal, and you will put all your effort into achieving it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Digital marketing is the use of online channels to promote or market products or services.
The different types of digital marketing include search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and affiliate marketing.
To do digital marketing, you need to identify your target audience, choose the right digital marketing channels, and create and distribute engaging content.
Some of the best digital marketing tools include Google Analytics, Google Ads, SEMrush, and Hootsuite.
To measure the success of a digital marketing campaign, you need to track key metrics such as website traffic, leads generated, and sales.
