Here is an attempt to explain digital marketing and its types in the simplest words possible. But before we dive into it let’s first understand what marketing is.
Marketing is the process of promoting, selling, or communicating the value of a product or service to a potential customer. This process could involve market research, branding, advertising, public relations, and other activities.
Many of these marketing activities can be done OFFLINE through traditional channels such as television, radio, print advertising, events, direct mail, etc.They can also be carried out ONLINE through online ads, emails, social media, and other channels. The marketing activities carried out online fall under the digital marketing umbrella.
So essentially, you can say that digital marketing is about utilizing the internet and digital channels to reach customers online.
The best part about digital marketing is the ability to measure campaigns in real-time and tweak your strategies on the fly.
Another fantastic benefit is the ability to reach customers across the globe.
Now that you have a broad understanding of digital marketing let’s get into the types of digital marketing.
Digital marketing can be broadly classified into six types:
1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) leverages the search engine to show relevant content to search engine users based on keywords. This can be done through paid ads called Pay Per Click (PPC), or organically through Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
2. Social Media Marketing is about leveraging social media channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok to reach a target audience.
3. Email Marketing uses email communications to nurture leads that can eventually convert into customers. It is also a great way to maintain relationships with existing customers.
4. Influencer Marketing involves collaborating with individuals who have a significant online presence or large following on social media. The objective is to promote your products and services to their audience or community.
5. Affiliate Marketing is when individuals or companies refer your product or services to potential customers for a commission. The affiliate generally earns a commission on a successful sale.
6. Content Marketing is about developing, publishing, and distributing relevant content in different formats – blogs, videos, newsletters, etc. – across multiple channels to attract customers.
7. Mobile Marketing focuses on using tools to reach potential customers on their smartphones. These could be through SMS, messaging apps, mobile apps, etc.
We’ll learn more about each of these types and cover more concepts in further detail going ahead.