Digital media is referring to any communication medium that work with the utilisation of any of the various digitally encoded machine readable data formats. Digital media is also known as CD, DVD, or streamed media. Digital media is the most widespread and versatile medium on the market today. This is because it is so versatile and the delivery mechanisms for digital content are very reliable, economical, and fast. As a result, it is not surprising that most businesses are now incorporating digital content delivery onto their business process management systems (BPM) so that employees, customers and other stakeholders can access content from anywhere in the world at any time. The following article seeks to define the term ‘digital media’ and highlight its key components.
Digital media is any digital information or data that is delivered as a machine readable format. There are various types of digital media – namely CD, DVD, videotapes, computer data tapes, and digital telephone networks. The earliest forms of digital media were stored on analogue electronic media such as records, cassette tapes, and CDs. Recorders and personal computer memory units (PCMs) also utilise digital media. Digital information is machine-readable and can be stored in a variety of different storage mediums, including digital computer memory cards (DMCs), removable mediums such as flash drives, compact discs (CDs), DVD disks, and magnetic tape.
Digital information is machine readable and can be stored in a variety of different storage mediums, including digital electronic media, and physical media such as floppy disks, CD/DVD disks, and digital telephone networks. Digital media is an ideal method of conveying images, audio, text, graphics, video, and data. It is also increasingly being used for interactive and rich media, such as internet content, online applications, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and interactive television websites. A computer uses digital media to create digital images, content, and so forth. Digital content can be sent over the Internet, through a telephone network, or by a personal computer to an end-user through a display terminal or display media.
In the last five years, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace have become extremely popular all over the world. These social networking sites have made it possible for individuals to share and communicate with each other with very little or no cost. In the last few years social media has developed into a lucrative business opportunity for businesses interested in providing online advertising opportunities. Internet based social media advertising programs such as Google AdSense, Yahoo! 360 Advertising Network, Microsoft ad Center, and Media Temple have generated billions of dollars in revenue for thousands of companies.
Marketing strategies involving Internet marketing, online advertising, and online marketing strategies rely on the ability to understand the varying needs and interests of the target audience. In order to reach these target audiences, marketing strategies must be customized to meet the specific needs of the targeted audience. Internet based companies that engage in paid media, or pay per click, advertising need to understand the different types of customers they are trying to attract, what their purchasing habits tell them about the company, and how these purchasing habits can be modified to increase profits. The Internet is a diverse and vast market place where millions of people converge every day to obtain information and to shop. When these people come to the Internet website of a company, they not only see the product or service for which they have been searching, but they also interact with the company and develop a relationship that can lead to a sale.
Digital media is not only an entertainment medium, but it is a powerful communicative medium as well. It has the power to connect people from all around the world to share their thoughts, experiences, news, ideas, and opinions. By understanding the different types of media available to a company and developing an effective multi-directional communications strategy, a company can achieve more and achieve it faster than it would without proper public relations strategies in place.