Digital marketing refers to any form of advertising that exists online. This uncomplicated definition accurately captures the term’s immense popularity in the contemporary business landscape.
This article aims to provide an understanding of how a business defines digital marketing and explain different types of digital marketing. By utilizing digital marketing, a business can efficiently target a vast audience at a low cost. Additionally, the results of digital marketing can be easily measured.
If you have a good understanding of digital marketing, you are aware of its highly volatile and dynamic nature. It is constantly changing and evolving. Strategies that were effective just a few months ago may no longer be applicable.
What does digital marketing mean for a business
Digital marketing consists of various marketing tactics and channels that utilize the Internet as a medium to communicate with clients. Some of the most commonly used methods to connect with customers, such as your business website, social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat), emails, blogs, and newsletters, are all encompassed within the realm of digital marketing.
Regardless of the size, all businesses have an equal opportunity for growth through digital marketing. This strategy provides various avenues for directly engaging with existing clients and reaching potential ones. Digital marketing is essential for contemporary businesses as it yields significant returns with minimal investment.
In the upcoming times, it will be crucial for businesses to focus on the different types of digital marketing trends. Additionally, individuals have the opportunity to enroll in a free digital marketing strategy course to expand their knowledge.
Types of digital marketing
1. Search engine optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization, also known as SEO, is a crucial form of digital marketing for your business. Its purpose is to ensure that your web pages or articles are prominently displayed at the top of search engine results from platforms such as Google and Bing.
The process generally includes highlighting specific keywords or phrases in your content that match the popular search trends on Google and Bing. The platforms that gain advantage from SEO consist of websites, blogs, and infographics. For instance, if you aim to attract new customers for your chocolate business using SEO, the text on your webpage should repeatedly feature terms such as “purchase chocolate,” “buy chocolate online,” “handmade chocolate,” or “scrumptious chocolate online.”
The position of your website/blog on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is determined by the frequency of these keywords and the quality of your content. Having a higher ranking on the SERPs is advantageous for your business.
To maintain the quality of your content at all times for SEO to be helpful, it is important to not go overboard with keywords. Forcing keywords can make the copy seem unnatural and cause the overall quality of your content to drop.
To reach potential customers online and increase sales, it is important to prioritize SEO, as around 81% of shoppers typically engage in online research prior to making a purchase.
2. Pay per click advertising (PPC)
PPC, also known as Pay Per Click, refers to the approach of generating website traffic by compensating the publisher for each click made on your advertisement. Similar to SEO, PPC involves a monetary aspect. Google Ads, a widely used form of PPC, enables you to secure prominent positions on Google’s SERPs in exchange for payment.
Other mediums that can be utilized include adverts on Facebook, campaigns on Twitter, and messages sponsored on LinkedIn. While PPC shares similarities with SEM, it can also incorporate display advertising and affiliate advertising.
3. Content marketing
Content Marketing is an approach to digital marketing that concentrates on producing and advertising diverse types of content in order to produce leads and sales. The content may take the form of a blog, social media posts, videos, infographics, podcasts, and more. The content is rich in SEO and user-friendliness and naturally draws in new customers.
If you want your content marketing to be effective, you need to consider your target audience. Quality content plays a crucial role in increasing sales and enhancing the reputation, trust, and loyalty of your brand. The various channels of digital marketing, such as SEO SEM, social media marketing, email marketing, and PPC, heavily rely on content that is tailored to your specific business.
4. Search engine marketing (SEM)
Search Engine Marketing or SEM is the paid version of SEO, as previously mentioned. By utilizing SEM, a company can acquire advertising space displayed on the SERPs. Establishing a connection between SEO and PPC is crucial within the realm of Search Engine Marketing.
Recognizing paid search results on Google is straightforward. The URL is accompanied by a small “Ad” marker, and these pages are prioritized in the search results. By utilizing a blend of SEO and SEM, you can enhance website traffic and elevate your Click Through Rate (CTR).
5. Affiliate marketing
With the rise of online marketing, many organizations have turned to affiliate marketing, also known as influencer marketing, as a way to connect consumers and organizations. But what exactly is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing takes advantage of the increasing fame of industry experts and social media influencers. By partnering with these external influencers, your organization will team up to advertise your products or services in exchange for payment. Through this collaboration, influencers will connect with their audience by sharing posts, blogs, or videos to generate more business for your organization and generate new potential customers.
In recent years, affiliate or influencer marketing has experienced significant growth, thanks to the rise in popularity of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and blogs, which have become mainstream sources of entertainment and news. As a result, affiliate marketing has emerged as a highly favored type of digital marketing. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the affiliate marketing industry is predicted to reach a worth of $12 billion by 2022.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), the number of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is expected to grow by 10% through 2031, indicating a growing job market for marketers. BLS data also reveals that the median salary for these positions in 2021 was $133,380.
6. Email marketing
According to Rogers, email remains one of the most effective marketing techniques, despite the rise of social media, mobile apps, and other channels. He emphasizes that it can be integrated into a content marketing strategy, offering value to consumers and gradually converting them into customers.
According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), professionals in email marketing possess the ability to not only develop captivating campaigns, but they also possess an understanding of the most effective methods for reaching their target audience. Additionally, they are proficient in examining customer interactions and data, and utilize that information to make strategic decisions.
Email marketing software provides various analytical measures, but there are two specific ones that marketers continuously aim to enhance: the open rate, which refers to the percentage of recipients who opened the email, and the click-through rate, which pertains to the number of recipients who both opened the email and clicked on a link included in it.
Constant Contact, a leading email marketing software company, suggests that marketers have numerous options to enhance the attractiveness of their emails and increase the likelihood of them being opened by users.
These consist of the following:
- Create a Sense of Urgency – Writing email copy that lets your recipients know that time is running out to get a special deal or that there are only a limited number of offers available can increase the number of people clicking through to your website.
- Personalize Your Email – Setting your emails and subject lines up to incorporate the recipient’s name is a proven way to increase open and click-through rates. (A sample subject line: “Katie, a special offer just for you.”)
- Let Recipients Set Their Preferences – Allowing users to specify how often they want to hear from you can help keep some of your email subscribers subscribed to your list and clicking on your emails.
7. Mobile marketing
Nowadays, individuals utilize their smartphones more frequently compared to any other device. Their mobile devices serve as a comprehensive platform that provides all the necessary convenience. Therefore, why not take advantage of this opportunity to reach a potential clientele?
There are two methods for mobile marketing: using an app or SMS. Apps are gaining popularity among mobile phone users and can serve as an alternative to your website. Your app may attract more engagement compared to the website.
Therefore, it is crucial to develop an app that is uncomplicated, easy to navigate, and instinctive. Additionally, utilizing the app for sending periodic push notifications will ensure that users remain interested in your product. Simultaneously, SMS can be utilized to inform individuals about exclusive deals and vouchers as well as to target individuals who do not possess a smartphone.
8. Social media marketing
All activities conducted by a business on social media channels are encompassed in this. Social media is well-known to almost everyone, but marketers need to adopt a unified and planned approach when it comes to social. Social media marketing extends far beyond the mere act of generating posts for social channels and engaging with comments.
For efforts to be successful, it is crucial to coordinate and maintain consistency rather than treating them as an afterthought. To ensure consistency in posts, there are numerous online tools that can be utilized to automate and schedule social media posts. However, marketers should view automation as just a tool and not rely on it completely, as users can easily detect if there is no genuine human presence behind the posts.
It is important for social media marketers to collaborate with other marketing functions instead of working independently. They should align their message with the company’s broader marketing team to ensure consistency in brand narrative across various platforms, both online and offline.
Analytics is a vital component of social media marketing. Additionally, social media marketers should possess skills in analyzing post performance and devising strategies based on that data. Evaluating the effectiveness of your current social media posts is essential before proceeding with the implementation of your new strategy.
According to Statista, the leading benefit of social media marketing in 2023, as reported by 86% of industry professionals, was an increase in exposure to their company. Additionally, Statista reported that 76% of companies claimed that the largest advantage was an increase in traffic to their website.
There are alternative free options available to broaden the reach of your message apart from Instagram and Twitter. Additional choices encompass Google My Business, eBay, as well as Facebook Messenger and Marketplace.
Social media marketing is not as simple as managing your personal Facebook or Twitter profile; it necessitates a combination of creative thinking and objective, data-driven strategy. This field may be particularly suitable for professionals who take pleasure in merging these two disciplines.
