In today’s world, everything is going digital. If something exists in the material world, chances are there’s a digital version out there by now.
Marketing and money are no different. Even though they may seem very dissimilar, they have evolved in similar ways over the years.
Marketing: From Print to Digital
Marketing has existed in some form for as long as anyone can remember. Businesses have always needed to get the word out about their new products and services, and the only way to spread the word was in the physical world.
Print ads, billboards, events, and other avenues of marketing helped companies of all kinds inform the public that there were products to be bought. While those avenues of marketing are still used today, the smartest companies have added a digital side to their marketing efforts.
A century ago, businesses started running commercials over the radio, one of the easiest forms of “digital” marketing. Decades later, television found its way into the home and provided marketers with a way to share their messages in a more visual way.
By the 1990s, the internet began to break through to become a mainstay in American homes. Naturally, website advertisements came along with it. A few years later, social media rose in popularity, providing marketers another, more direct way to reach out to potential customers.
Today, digital marketing is still growing. Researchers have forecasted that digital marketing spending will continually increase in the coming years and decades. It likely won’t be long until digital marketing spending outpaces that of print media.
Currency: From Print To Digital
Since the beginning of society, people have traded forms of currency. Precious metals, gems, and anything deemed valuable was traded in exchange for products and services.
In our modern society, “money” has transformed into dollars and coins. While we think of these items and valuable, they’re really nothing more than paper and metal. It’s the value we apply to them that makes them valuable.
Cryptocurrency is another step in the evolution of money. Created in 2009, Bitcoin is the world’s first decentralized cryptocurrency. With no centralized source and traded on a peer-to-peer network, Bitcoin can be created and traded by anyone with the desire to do so.
(Update: Bitcoin recently topped $50,000)
Some criticize Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for being “based on nothing”, despite modern currency systems using a blend of paper, coins, and credit.
Digital Marketing and Bitcoin: The Future
As the digital revolution continues, there’s no doubt that marketing and money will develop with the times. New advertising opportunities will arise and new forms of value will arise alongside them.
Just like any new developments, those who get on board early are poised to benefit the greatest. Years from now, those who invested in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will reap the benefits of the widely accepted currencies. The same can already be seen by businesses that spent big at the turn of the century to create an online presence.
The future of digital marketing and bitcoin is still up in the air, but it’s a safe bet that both will continue their rise and provide countless opportunities for those who get involved today.
