Campaigning and marketing are very similar things. When President Barack Obama or former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney campaigned during the 2012 election season, they were essentially trying to persuade undecided voters – much like how during a small business internet marketing campaign, a company tries to persuade undecided consumers that it's the right choice for what they need.
According to BusinessWeek, both Mitt Romney and President Obama amassed a combined $2 billion for their campaigns, with roughly $970 million going to advertising. For context, Coca-Cola spends roughly $780 million on advertising each year for all of its subsidiaries.
But, the source argues that when organizations treat marketing "like an arms race" they can often falter, resulting in very little engagement from consumers.
"The problem is that in business and in politics, oversize ad budgets rarely work," writes Larry Popelka, the article's author. "In many cases they actually have a negative effect, as they distract marketing teams from their real mission, which is to find creative and relevant ways to communicate their product's benefits."
While many small businesses may feel as though they need to spend thousands on creating custom, professional-grade videos or to hire a social media manager for their eight different social media accounts, it's often best if a targeted internet marketing campaign be kept as simple as possible.
By partnering with an experienced digital advertising company, companies can create the most effective internet marketing campaigns without exhausting their own budget, but also by not spending too much time focused on money and more on reaching out to potential customers.