If I were to describe the digital marketing journey, here’s how I would explain it. Imagine you own a physical shop. To promote it in your neighborhood, you would put up banners, install a signpost, distribute flyers, and maybe hire someone to call passersby into your shop.
Digital marketing works similarly—except everything is done through the internet: via websites, social media, email, and SMS.
The ultimate goal of digital marketing is to bring people to your online shop or make them aware of your physical location, products, or services, and lead them to make a purchase. This brings us to an important question: how does one begin their digital marketing journey? Today, I’ll walk you through five essential steps to get started.
Step 1: Choose One Platform and Focus
As a beginner, it will be overwhelming to create content and run ads across multiple platforms. It’s better to choose one platform, focus your learning and energy there, and grow from that foundation. Social media platforms are powerful, but each has unique features and algorithms that take time to understand.
At Digital Atrium, we focus on X (formerly Twitter). While we cross-post to other platforms, all our core marketing efforts and budget go into X. It is easy to use, supports different types of content, accepts most ads, and is generally more affordable for small campaigns. You can open accounts on other platforms, but select one to master and let the others support your efforts passively.
Step 2: Create a Website
There are scenarios where a website may not be necessary—especially if you use WhatsApp catalogs or set up your Twitter or Meta shops properly. However, a website becomes crucial for two main reasons. First, it gives your business legitimacy and professionalism. Second, it opens access to powerful digital tools such as Google Analytics, retargeting with Facebook Pixels, and advanced tracking of how people interact with your brand.
With a website, you can control the user experience. If someone visits your Instagram page but doesn’t buy, it may be due to limitations of the platform. On your website, you can keep tweaking the layout and features until you create a conversion-friendly environment. Importantly, your social media page is not really yours—it can be suspended at any time. Your website, on the other hand, is your digital property. Once your website is live, keep it simple and well-organized, and integrate it with your chosen social media platform.
Step 3: Create Content That Sells and Content That Builds Authority
Now that you have a platform and a website, the next step is content creation. Focus on two types of content: content that sells and content that positions you as an expert.
Content that sells should directly showcase your products or services. Show people how your product works, what it looks like, what it costs, and how to buy it. You can create still photos, short videos, or product highlights. Share about five pieces of this content over a week, observe which one performs best, and promote it with an ad budget.
Authority content, on the other hand, builds trust. It shows that you know your industry and are worth listening to. At Digital Atrium, we use the “copy, learn, and innovate” method. We look at what experts are doing on YouTube or TikTok, recreate their formats with our own twist, and learn from the response. After replicating about twenty pieces of content, you’ll begin to understand what works and what doesn’t for your audience.
This approach takes time. For clients on a small budget, visible results take between six to twelve months. For those with a higher budget, it can take three to six months. Patience is key.
Step 4: Support Your Digital Marketing with Physical Sales
After establishing your digital presence, it’s important to support it with real-world sales activities. Many businesses think digital marketing is enough. But sometimes people hear about you and still don’t take action—not because your product is bad, but because they need a human connection.
That’s why you need a salesperson. Give them specific goals and a commission structure. Let them follow up on leads and close sales either physically or over the phone. At Digital Atrium, we invest in both digital marketing and physical sales. Even for small businesses like kiosks, the physical shop can serve as your sales office.
For instance, we once ran a highly successful digital campaign for a major hospital in Uganda. It reached over a million people on X. However, the hospital did not implement a physical sales team to follow up. As a result, awareness was high but conversions were low. The message was out there, but no one closed the deals.
Step 5: Double Down on What Works
After a year of consistent effort, you will begin to see what kind of content, platforms, and strategies work best for your brand. At this point, invest more in what brings results. Scale up the content that performs well. Refine your ads and messaging. Repeat what works, over and over again.
Digital marketing is not a one-time effort. It is a long-term strategy. Most businesses take two to three years to become profitable—and the same applies to your online presence. The key is consistency, refinement, and reinvestment.
Final Thoughts
Your digital marketing journey won’t always be easy. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll test and learn. But if you focus on building steadily, the results will come. Start with one platform. Set up a simple website. Create meaningful content. Support it with human interaction. And then double down on what works.
At Digital Atrium, this is the same strategy we use for our clients—and ourselves. We believe in doing the work consistently and growing sustainably.
Start simple. Stay consistent. Grow steadily.
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