What is Digital Marketing?
Last Updated on 19th September 2023 by Ajmer Singh
This article is a full guide on what is digital marketing and how it’s used.
It will cover the basics of,
- social media
- search engine optimization (SEO)
- affiliate marketing & online advertising (including both pay per click advertising and retargeting) etc.
It will answer questions such as:
“What does digital marketing include?”
“What are the most effective marketing strategies for social media, SEO, affiliate marketing & online advertising?”
“How can I get started with digital marketing?” etc.
With this article, you should be able to answer the questions above!
If any other further questions remain unanswered please feel free to leave a comment and I will answer, also please share this article if you found it helpful.
Now let’s get started!
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What is digital marketing and how has it grown?
Today (2023) we live in a world where technology has become an integral part of our lives.
This means that there are now more ways than ever that companies can reach their target audiences.
Digital marketing is an umbrella term that includes the use of websites, social media, search engines & mobile devices to promote products/services by advertising or selling directly to consumers.
It’s important to note that digital marketing does not only refer to online techniques but also encompasses ‘offline’ endeavours such as television and radio advertisements.
Digital marketing has become an integral part of the global economy and it shows no signs of slowing down – in fact, we can expect to see even more growth in the coming years!
What are the best digital marketing strategies?
There are many different digital marketing strategies – some popular examples include SEO (search engine optimization), affiliate marketing, social media, PPC (pay per click advertising) & retargeting.
Each method has its own list of benefits and disadvantages, but when used correctly can be extremely effective.
The most popular methods in 2023 are SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay per click advertising) and social media marketing.
Let’s take a look at what each of these actually is:
What is search engine optimization?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of ranking websites or mobile apps high in search engines when certain keywords are searched for.
For example, “digital marketing” may be a keyword someone searches for.
If your website ranks highly in Google (or other search engines) for this term then your site has successfully gained SEO.
How important is SEO?
Finding the right keywords which will eventually yield a high ROI (return on investment) and rank well in search engines, such as Google or Bing is vital for digital marketing success.
This is why SEO took off so much in 2023 – because it’s one of the most effective methods there is, especially when done correctly!
Some companies actually hire SEO experts who have a deep knowledge of how to rank their site high in search engines.
What is affiliate marketing?
An affiliate, also known as a publisher, refers to someone who sells products for other businesses but does not actually own the product they are selling.
Often referring customers directly to the main business website.
For example, if you sell a product for Company ABC and someone purchases your product, you will receive a commission.
This is how affiliate marketing works.
The creator of the affiliate content receives a referral fee once they have successfully sold someone else’s products or services.
How can I become an affiliate marketer?
Affiliate marketers are often needed by companies who are just starting out because they have little to no online presence.
This means you can reach out to businesses and offer your skills as an affiliate marketer.
If they accept, you can begin building a website that has links leading back to the company’s main site!
For example, Company ABC may ask you to write a blog post about their product and place a link at the bottom of the page leading directly to their website.
There has been a huge surge in social media over the past few years and it’s one of the most popular digital marketing strategies today!
Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Quora, Twitter and Pinterest allow users to interact and share content with friends and family easily.
They also provide a platform for businesses to market their products and services by enabling users to share brand content with ease.
Social media marketing can be extremely powerful.
Companies have been able to improve their brand recognition, boost sales and generate leads very quickly due to this fact.
A successful social media marketing strategy can also work as a reputation management tool.
If the company is able to maintain a good public image, social media will allow them to share this with large audiences easily!
What is pay per click advertising?
PPC (pay per click) advertising means advertisers only need to pay when someone clicks on their ad.
This is set up as an online auction and the person with the highest bid will have their ad appear at the top of a search engine result page where it is more likely to be clicked.
What are the benefits of PPC advertising?
PPC advertising has major benefits because advertisers only pay when someone clicks on their ad.
This means they can set an exact daily or monthly budget which is much easier to control than other forms of advertising.
Another benefit is it can be extremely targeted.
Businesses are able to pick specific keywords for their ads to target only interested individuals who may want their product or service.
What does content marketing mean?
Content marketing means creating content that you will share with your audience in order to get them interested in your brand.
This can mean articles, blogs, podcasts and much more – it’s your way to communicate with them and share what you’re all about!
Another thing to remember is that content marketing isn’t just one strategy.
There are many ways to generate interest in your business using digital marketing including blogging, social media and even video marketing.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is a strategy used to create a list of people who have opted in to receive promotional emails from your business.
You can then send them targeted email campaigns that provide value while promoting your products and services at the same time!
This means you don’t need to spend money on ads or cold calling – if people want to hear from you, they’ll let you know!
What are the benefits of email marketing?
Email marketing has a ton of benefits – firstly, it’s incredibly targeted.
You can pick and choose who to send your emails out to based on their interests, location or something else that makes sense for your brand.
It also means you don’t need to spend too much time on your marketing efforts – if they want to hear from you, they’ll let you know!
What is direct mail marketing?
Direct mail marketing happens when a business sends promotional material through the post in order to reach a specific target audience.
This can be used for many purposes including sending out samples of a new product or even a newsletter to a large mailing list.
What are the benefits of direct mail marketing?
One thing that makes direct mail marketing great is it’s incredibly targeted.
You can pick and choose who to send your material to in order to provide them with value while also promoting your brand at the same time.
It also means you’ll need less money for a successful campaign because you can use a smaller, more specific list of prospects.
What is video marketing?
Video marketing means creating short videos to promote your brand or product.
You can share these on social media, your website and even paid ad platforms like YouTube!
Video marketing has exploded over the last few years.
It’s one of the fastest-growing forms of digital marketing and if you want to stay ahead of the curve, it’s a must!
What are the benefits of video marketing?
Video marketing has tons of benefits.
It’s fun and engaging for your audience, plus you can use it to educate them on your products or services in a way that they’ll love.
In addition to this, you can also build trust with your customers through video because it makes you a more approachable brand.
What is a landing page?
A landing page is a web page where visitors land after clicking on an ad or link.
They are often used to encourage visitors to sign up, submit their email or make a purchase.
For example, if you were promoting a new product and wanted people to buy it, your landing page could be designed for this specific purpose.
What are the benefits of a landing page?
One of the biggest benefits of having a dedicated landing page is it allows you to be very specific with your marketing efforts.
For example, if you were selling a product, your main goal would be to get visitors to make a purchase.
This means you might only need to provide details of your product, plus a way to buy it.
What is a pop-up?
A pop-up is when a browser window appears on top of the page you’re viewing and displays an advert or promotion.
They often have bright colours, loud text and a special offer to encourage people to click on them in order to find out more.
Pop-ups are incredibly common online these days.
They can appear in many different places, including social media or even on your computer.
What are the benefits of pop-ups?
One benefit of pop-ups is that they’re incredibly targeted.
You can choose when and where they appear to make sure people see them who might be interested in what you’ve got to offer.
It also means you can be very creative with your pop-ups.
You can pick different images or colours based on what will work best for your brand.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing means working with industry leaders to promote your brand.
You can find people on platforms like YouTube or Instagram who are at the top of their game in your niche.
For example, if you’re a fashion designer, choosing someone who has millions of followers might be a good place to start!
What are the benefits of influencer marketing?
One major benefit of influencer marketing is it gives a sense of trust to your customers.
When they see that you’re working with a big name in the industry, this shows them that you’re still credible and reputable despite being small.
This will make your brand more appealing and trustworthy in their eyes.
What is a blog?
A blog is an online platform where you can write about anything you like and share it with your audience.
This could be news on your latest products, tutorials for how to use them or even style tips and tricks.
The great thing about blogging is that not only does it help promote your brand,
but writing in a personal way means you can build a relationship with your customers.
What are the benefits of blogging?
One of the main benefits of blogging is it encourages engagement from your audience.
When they get to know you and feel like they’re part of something, they will be more likely to become loyal customers and recommend you to their friends.
Additionally, blogging is beneficial for SEO as it boosts your website and allows Google to rank you higher than other sites.
A social media influencer is someone who has a big presence on platforms like YouTube, Facebook & Instagram and uses their influence to promote products.
Unlike traditional celebrities or ‘influencers’, these people might have smaller subscriber numbers.
But they’re incredibly dedicated to the content they share.
Social media influencers have a really engaged audience, so you know they’re going to be more effective at promoting your brand than other types of promotion.
Additionally, as these influencers are often regular people, not only do they feel relatable to their viewers but it also gives them a sense of trust.
What are email lists?
Email lists are simply a way of collecting the email addresses of people that are interested in your brand.
This means you have a group of people who will be more likely to read your emails and potentially make a purchase.
Email marketing is still one of the best ways to get in touch with your customers, so having an email list is really beneficial.
What are the benefits of email lists?
Email lists are an effective way to build a relationship with your customers and create trust between you.
The great thing about them is that not only are they easy to set up, but they can also be automated.
This means that once people have given you their email address, you can set up an automated email to send to them on a schedule.
What is display advertising?
Display ads are another way of getting your brand in front of people who might not have found you through other channels.
These ads could be banners, pop-ups or full-page ads that show up on websites related to your niche.
For example, fashion brands could advertise on clothing websites or specific bloggers might run their own advertising campaigns.
What are the benefits of display ads?
You can choose where your ads appear to make sure you’re only targeting people that would be interested in your brand.
For example, if someone has been searching for fashion brands online, a banner ad from a designer they’ve looked at before could be really effective.
Additionally, display ads are easily measurable as you can see how many people click on your ads and for what duration they stayed on the page.
Wrapping Up
And there you have it! You are now a digital marketing expert.
Just kidding, of course, there’s more to learn and explore, but you should now have a good foundation on which to build.
We hope you enjoyed this comprehensive guide, and that it will help you in your future endeavours as a marketer.
Are there any other areas of digital marketing you’d like us to cover? Let us know in the comments below!
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