What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing—or online marketing—is a catch-all term for promoting brands using the Internet and other forms of digital communication. Digital marketers use various marketing channels, such as social media and email, to connect with customers and generate leads.

Types of Digital Marketing

There is a vast number of types of digital marketing, but some of the key types include:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Through efforts such as backlink strategies and optimizing a website’s content, structure, and keywords, marketing teams can improve a website’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs) such as Google.
• Content Marketing: Creating high-quality content, such as blogs, articles, videos, infographics, or eBooks, can attract and engage potential customers.
• Email MarketingWhat is Email Marketing? Email marketing may seem like an obvious route of notifying your audience of new releases, products, and services, however, it also serves a subtler function. It…: Sending targeted, personalized emails to customers and leads can drive conversions and develop customer relationships.
• Social Media MarketingWhat is Social Media Marketing? Social Media Marketing (SMM) is a strategic approach that uses social media platforms to build a brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. It involves…: Posting on social media platforms like LinkedIn can help develop brand identity, engage with potential customers, and drive website traffic.
• Customer AdvocacyCustomer advocacy is a form of customer service in which organizations use customers as spokespeople. Customer advocacy is a focused approach to customer service, supported by marketing techniques. Engaging the…: Incentivizing customers to become a spokesperson for a brand, typically by posting product reviews or social media content, can help build brand trust, awareness, and credibility.
• Employee AdvocacyEmployee advocacy is a marketing technique whereby an organization’s staff act as spokespeople for the brand. Employee advocacy is a marketing technique in which an organization empowers and encourages employees…: Encouraging staff members to share the company’s products or services messaging with their social media networks can enhance the company’s and employee’s personal brands.

Overall, digital marketing is about leveraging the power of digital communications to amplify a company’s brand.

Benefits of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has essentially democratized marketing, allowing organizations to reach global audiences at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods. The vast amount of data inherent in digital marketing helps marketers precisely target and personalize content to their audiences at the most impactful time and evaluate campaign success to identify areas for improvement.

Moreover, unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing opens a two-way conversation between companies and customers. Social media platforms, in particular, are great for developing long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships and bolstering brand loyalty.

Digital Marketing Best Practices

Successful digital marketing efforts rely on keeping to the following best practices:

• Define Clear Goals: Establish specific, measurable, and achievable objectives, such as increasing website traffic, generating leads, or boosting sales. Doing so will help you measure success and identify areas for improvement.
• Utilize Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics will help track your performance so you can optimize and improve your efforts over time.
• Know Your Audience: Digital marketing offers an opportunity to reach your target audience, but you need to understand who they are first. Create buyer personas and tailor your messaging and campaigns to meet their needs.
• Create Quality Content: Produce valuable, relevant, and informative content that resonates with your audience. Quality content builds trust, boosts SEO, and drives engagement.
• Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your website and marketing campaigns are mobile-friendly. A significant portion of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, so a seamless mobile experience is crucial.
• Focus on SEO: Optimize your website for search engines to improve visibility and attract organic traffic, leading to sustainable growth.

For more essential marketing definitions, check out our glossary page.