What is Digital marketing

Digital marketing, formerly known by an array of names such as online marketing, internet marketing, e-marketing, and web marketing, has evolved into a complex field, replete with a lexicon of terms crafted by academics and professionals alike (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019).

At its core, digital marketing is the art of promoting and selling products and services by leveraging online marketing tactics. These encompass strategies like social media marketing, search marketing, and email marketing (Williams, n.d). Moreover, digital marketing encompasses all marketing endeavors that utilize electronic devices or the internet (Omega, 2021).

In contrast to traditional marketing, digital marketing is inherently, well, digital. It refers to any marketing activities a company undertakes online. This includes avenues such as paid social media advertisements, email marketing campaigns, and pay-per-click advertising. The surge in the popularity of digital marketing can be attributed to the profound cultural, technological, and societal shifts of our era (Carmicheal, 2021).

In today’s landscape, the primary rule of marketing dictates the necessity of delivering the right message at the right time and in the right place. Given the online presence of the majority of today’s consumers, digital marketing has become an indispensable tool. Your customers spend a considerable amount of time in the digital realm, perusing social media, keeping abreast of news and blogs, and conducting online searches to fulfill their needs (Williams, n.d).

The interpretations of digital marketing are virtually limitless, but at its core, it encompasses all activities conducted through online channels. To navigate this multifaceted landscape, you will need to grasp various tactics. These tactics work in unison to lay the foundation for your business, which includes attracting prospects, nurturing relationships, and presenting offers that your audience will genuinely appreciate and respond to. Digital marketing is an arena that extends its reach beyond the online realm and covers both paid and organic strategies. These encompass:

Pay-per-click advertising (PPC)
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Email marketing
Content marketing
Mobile marketing
Social media marketing
Forum marketing
Affiliate marketing
Marketing automation
Influencer marketing
Referral marketing
These will be explored in more detail in forthcoming blog posts.

The Mechanics of Digital Marketing

In many aspects, digital marketing does not vastly differ from traditional marketing. In both paradigms, astute organizations aim to foster mutually beneficial relationships with prospects, leads, and customers. However, digital marketing has largely supplanted traditional marketing tactics due to its ability to engage today’s consumers effectively.

To illustrate, consider your most recent significant purchase, whether it was a new home, the services of a roofing contractor, or even a change in office paper suppliers. Irrespective of the purchase’s nature, the journey likely began with an online search. You scoured the internet for available solutions, identified providers, and evaluated your best options. The ultimate buying decision hinged on the reviews you read, recommendations from friends and family, and meticulous research into solutions, features, and pricing.

The initiation of most purchasing decisions occurs online. Consequently, establishing a robust online presence has become indispensable, regardless of your industry. The crux lies in crafting a digital marketing strategy that positions your brand in the virtual spaces where your audience congregates, subsequently leveraging a variety of digital channels to engage with them in myriad ways:

Content dissemination to keep them informed about industry news and how you solve their problems.
Social media as a platform to share your content and interact with them as friends and followers.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to ensure your content surfaces when individuals search for information you’ve provided.
Advertising to channel paid traffic to your website where potential customers can explore your offerings.
Email marketing for continuous engagement, ensuring they receive the solutions they seek.
When you amalgamate these elements, you’ll have an efficient and user-friendly digital marketing mechanism. While constructing this may seem like a formidable endeavor, the process boils down to learning and integrating one digital marketing tactic at a time (Hanlon and Kingsnorth, 2019).

Sources:

Chaffey, D. and Ellis -Chadwick, E. (2019) Digital Marketing Strategy implementation and practice

Hanlon, A. and Kingsnorth, S. (2019) Digital Marketing

Williams, K. (n.d) Digital Marketing for Beginners and Dummies Comprehensive Guide of Digital Marketing for Beginners & Dummies (p. 2). Kindle Edition. 

Omega, N. (2021) Digital Marketing Beginner’s Guide 2021: Complete guide for starting a successful career in Digital Marketing. (p. 1). Kindle Edition.