Discover the range of channels and approaches you can use to make sure potential customers can find out about your products and services.
Marketing channels are the platforms and methods you use to promote your business and reach potential customers.
Your business may use a mix of channels depending on where your customers spend their time and how they prefer to engage.
If you’re just starting out in business or haven’t done much marketing before, it helps to understand these key terms:
When planning how to market your business, you’ll generally use a mix of two main types of marketing channels, digital and traditional.
Digital marketing uses online channels to promote your business and connect with current and potential customers. It includes your business website, social media, online advertising, mobile apps, email and search engine marketing.
Social media allows businesses to connect directly with potential and existing customers. It’s easy to use and can suit all budgets, with options to share content via unpaid (also known as organic content) and paid (advertising) methods.
You can use social media to attract new customers, promote your products or services and build trust in your brand.
Learn about social media marketing.
Even if you have an established social media presence, it’s worth having your own website for your business. Your own website gives you control over your content, the ability to generate direct sales or bookings, and can also protect your business if a social media platform changes its rules or your account is restricted or closed. Creating a website for your business.
Email marketing often includes electronic newsletters (e-newsletters), promotional campaigns and personalised messages designed to keep customers engaged with your business. For example, you might have a rewards club and email clients with special offers based on their buying habits.
For email marketing, you’ll need a database of your clients’ email addresses and an understanding of how you can legally use this information. For example, it’s important that if you collect email addresses from existing and potential customers they agree to you contacting them at a later date.
For more information on email marketing, read our blog articles on email marketing for beginners and five email marketing mistakes to avoid.
Search engine marketing (SEM) involves paying to display advertisements in search engine results. These ads usually appear above the organic search results, and you typically pay when someone clicks on your advertisement, know as pay-per-click or cost per click advertising.
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your website so it is more likely to appear in relevant search results and attract visitors through unpaid (organic) search.
Learn more about SEM and SEO.
Digital marketing gives you access to analytics such as visits, views and engagement rates, which can help you learn more about your customers, where they might spend time online and their buying behaviours. Learn more about analysing your marketing performance.
Traditional marketing is the name given to offline marketing channels you can use to reach your target audience. For example, in-person events, printed brochures or catalogues, TV and radio ads, magazine or newspaper campaigns, billboards or cinema advertising.
Hosting an event or printing a catalogue can be effective ways to market your business – but these options will also take a lot more time and investment compared with many online options. Traditional marketing can work well if these channels suit your target market. For example, a flyer in the mail could be the best way for a local home repair service to raise awareness of their business.
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If you don’t already have a marketing plan, documenting your marketing goals can help you to find the right mix of digital and traditional channels
The most effective marketing channel for your business will depend on your products or services, your brand, your budget and where your target audience is most likely to spend their time.
For example, social media can be a cost-effective way to promote your business. However, it is only effective if your target audience actually uses that platform. Investing in advertising on the wrong channel may result in limited reach and low engagement.
The same principle applies to traditional marketing. A magazine, newspaper or radio advertisement will only be effective if your target audience regularly uses or engages with those channels.
To choose the right approach, start by clearly understanding your target market and where they are most likely to find information about products and services like yours.
AI tools can help generate ideas, draft marketing content, summarise customer feedback and save time on repetitive tasks. While these tools can improve efficiency, always review AI generated content to ensure it’s accurate, reflects your brand and complies with advertising and consumer laws.
Australia has laws and regulations around advertising and other elements of marketing – and you or your business could face some severe penalties for not following these. Here are some examples and where you can find more information.
Different laws and regulations apply to different industries, so make sure you know what you can and can’t do in your industry to avoid misleading your customers, breaking copyright laws (such as using certain music in your ads) or committing other offences which can lead to severe penalties.
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