Types of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has grown tremendously for the last thirty years. The commercial availability of personal computers and mobile devices has affected the marketing industry a lot. An increase in the number of personal computers led to the mass adoption of the internet. Yet the computers were being used majorly for typing in the 1980s.

In this article we will be looking at some of the most frequently used types of digital marketing.

This is what we will be covering:

1. History of Digital Marketing
2. Why Should You Leverage Digital Marketing?
3. Types of Digital Marketing
   1. 1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
      2. SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
      3. SMM (Social Media Marketing)
      4. Content Marketing
      5. Affiliate Marketing
      6. Email Marketing
4. Conclusions

Let’s have a quick look at the history of digital marketing and the reasons why businesses should be leveraging digital marketing.

History of Digital Marketing 

The World Wide Web project also did not see success until 1994. It changed after the introduction of Netscape, the first mass-market browser. Soon after, the World Wide Web project saw a tremendous adoption rate. The number of people using the web grew by over 450% between 1994 and 1996. Only 16 million people were using the internet in 1994. But it touched a figure of 70 million in 1996.

A sudden growth in the number of users attracted many startups. It altered the digital landscape. Many of the well-known internet companies such as Amazon (1994), Yahoo! (1994), eBay (1995), and Google (1997) entered the market. It was a goldmine of a marketing opportunity. Soon, email became the face of outbound marketing.

The marketers started valuing email at the same level as TV, print, and radio advertising. Google and Yahoo! made it easier for the users to search for the information. The users were also able to find products and services through search engines. Soon, the marketers started using SEO techniques to rank on search engines. These techniques included excessive tagging, keyword stuffing, and generating backlinks. The marketers were able to rank high on search engines using these techniques. 

Why Should you Leverage Digital Marketing?

If you are not marketing to users on the web, then you are missing out on a huge customer base. Today, almost 59% of the global population uses the internet. In July 2020, there were 4.57 billion internet users worldwide. 

Today, many consumers rely on online research before visiting a store. GE Capital Retail Bank did a study on this topic. The report mentions that 81% of shoppers conduct online research before visiting a physical shop. Another key advantage of digital marketing is its affordability. 

Most businesses set aside a small part of their revenue for marketing. Hence, they have to figure out the most effective way to promote their products or services. Thus, digital marketing is perfect for every business, regardless of their marketing budget. 

Let’s explore the most important types of digital marketing today. 

Types of Digital Marketing:

1) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) 

Search Engine Optimization is popularly known as SEO. It is a practice that aims to rank on top of the organic search engine results for the keywords searched. SEO helps a website in receiving high quality and quantity of website traffic. 

Internet users visit search engines to search for a variety of information. In fact, Google alone processes 2 trillion searches every year. Most of the leading brands receive a lion’s share of their website traffic through search. Hence, SEO is a must in your marketing arsenal.

If you need an SEO specialist, you might want to have a chat with our dear friend Ruth @ Puglet Digital.

2) SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

In search engine marketing, a business pays to appear on search engine page results or SERPs. Search engine companies allow advertisers to bid on keywords that people search for. Hence, an advertiser’s ad will be displayed alongside the search results. The ad appears when a user searches for that particular keyword. 

Today, there is a huge competition in almost all product categories and services. Hence, businesses must maintain an online presence today. Search engine marketing even allows new businesses to promote their products.

If you are looking for a paid acquisition specialist, feel free to contact us here.

3) SMM (Social Media Marketing)

If you are not using social media marketing then you are missing out on a huge market. There are 3.6 billion social media users in 2020. The number of social media users will reach 4.41 billion in 2025. Today, many brands are interacting with social media users on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. 

In social media marketing, a brand creates and shares content on social media platforms. Their aim behind it is to market their product and services. SMM also helps them spread the name of their brand among the public. 

We can help you explore and test social media marketing channel. Check out our Traction Testing service here.

4) Content Marketing 

Under content marketing, a brand creates and distributes relevant and valuable content. It helps them in attracting visitors to their websites and landing pages. More web traffic means higher chances of converting a visitor into a paying customer.

A business engaging in content marketing doesn’t have to pitch their products and services. If a Business solves the issues of their prospects and customers, they can get more customers. So, how can they solve the issues of their prospects and customers? By creating timely, relevant, and useful content for them. 

5) Affiliate Marketing

A business owner can increase their sales through affiliate marketing. The affiliate marketer promotes a third-party product or services to earn a commission. They earn a commission on every product that is sold through them. 

Affiliate marketing is beneficial for the affiliates as well. It allows them to earn on products that they did not create. A business’ revenue can be boosted by 30% if they craft a well-thought-out affiliate program. 

6) Email Marketing 

Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy. It involves sending high-value emails to your customers as well as prospects. An effective email marketing strategy can be very helpful for your business. It can help convert your prospects into customers. Email marketing can also turn your one-time buyers into loyal customers of your brand. 

Have you started an email marketing campaign yet? If not, you are missing out on a very high ROI on your marketing investment. You can get an ROI as high as 4400% through email marketing. 

Email Marketing can be insanely powerful.

For more information on our Email Marketing service, feel free to check out our Marketing Automation page here.

Conclusions

The digital landscape is evolving fast. Millions of people are joining the digital revolution every year. Your business is missing out on a huge customer base if you are not leveraging digital marketing yet. A business must put aside a part of their marketing budget for digital marketing.

Digital marketing allows you to track the progress of all your marketing campaigns. Hence, you can know what is working and what is not. Based on such data, you can adapt your campaign. It will help you get more traffic and give you better results. 

Want expert help to build and run your digital marketing campaigns? Reach out to The Growth Hustlers team today. 

Contact us HERE