The concept of digital marketing refers to the use of digital tools and channels to enhance the market presence of products and services to reach beneficiaries.
It involves the use of social media, advertisements, websites, etc. With the introduction of the Internet in the 1990s, Digital Marketing became popular in the corporate world.
Types of Digital Marketing
1. Content Marketing
Content Marketing is a traditional and strategic form of marketing that involves creating and distributing valuable and attractive content to attract and acquire new sets of consumers. It is used by various big and well-known firms such as Microsoft, Apple, ITC, and Calvin Klein.
It was first developed by small businesses and industries to increase their presence in the global market during the boom of globalization. Creating content helps you provide the correct information to your target audience, thus creating a brand image that allows the firms to become market leaders in their business. Examples of Content Marketing are- Blogging, Instagram posts, Vlogging, Newsletters, etc.
2. Social Media Marketing
Social Media Marketing uses social media and social website tools to engage a wide range of customers. With an increase in social media users time by time, Social Media Marketing helps acquire new customers and engage with the existing customers.
Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat allow businesses to connect directly to consumers. It enhances brand loyalty and presence in its customers through variety and presentable content. On the other hand, it is also cost-effective and includes very few intermediaries and middle parties.
3. Search Engine Optimisation
Search Engine Optimisation or popularly called SEO, is a modern and most popular way of digital marketing. SEO focuses on increasing the visibility of the website in the search engine. While using a search engine, you shall notice that all the paid results come in the starting, followed by the organic results.
The traffic that comes through SEO is called “organic search traffic.”Search Engines use algorithms to display the page or sites on top if searching for a particular keyword or query. It is mainly decided by three tools- Links, Content, and Page Structure.
4. Email Marketing
Emails changed the ways of connecting people and businesses around the globe. Marketers use email to send a specific promotional message via their database collection. Often on first purchase, consumers set up their profile using email ids which helps businesses gather databases and use them for email marketing.
A 2015 study by the U.K.-based Association found that for every $1 spent, it turned out to be an average of $38. The most common thing used in email marketing is the monthly newsletter. It helps introduce new ventures and works of the company regularly, like weekly or monthly newsletters. For example, a Cafe can send a promotional email of 35% off on their anniversary or any national holiday.
5. Affiliate or Influencer Marketing
We often see our favorite celebrities or fashion icons using a particular product or posting the benefits of various products at events or on their social media handles. It is called Influencer Marketing. Affiliate Marketing is sales-based or performance-based marketing where a brand’s product is listed on another company’s website. The company provides some incentive or commission to the brand on each sale.
On the other hand, marketing that collaborates with influencers or endorsers to promote the brand directly is Influencer Marketing. Both affiliate and influencer marketing go hand in hand. The difference between them is Affiliate Marketing can be tracked as its sales-based, whereas Influencer Marketing’s performance cannot be traced.
6. Pay Per Click Marketing
Pay Per Click or PPC Marketing is a type of marketing in which a company has to pay a fee every time someone clicks on their promotional advertisements. Search engines are an advanced tool, and they display a specific ad related to the keyword or query searched by the user. The leading service operators in Pay Per Click Marketing are Google Ads and Microsoft Ads.
Pay Per Click has various advantages, such as you only have to pay if your ad is clicked or visited. It is shown to the right target audience; you can check the performance of your promotional ads and control your budgets based on the performance.
There are various types of marketing, and the major ones are listed above. The use of types depends solely on the requirement and target audience of the user or company—the way a user layout the plans according to it, they have to select the marketing tool.
How and where to use digital marketing?
If they have a niche brand and want to target the exact audience, they can select a plan for email marketing or content marketing. If the user wants to gather new customers, they can opt for Influence or Pay Per Click Marketing. Likewise, Social Media Marketing and Content Marketing can be widely used to gather new consumers and engage with the old consumers with regular updates and new products.