Digital marketing encompasses all marketing efforts that use an electronic device
or the internet. Businesses leverage digital channels such as search engines, social
media, email, and their websites to connect with current and prospective customers.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the most common digital marketing tactics
and the channels involved in each one.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
This is the process of optimizing your website to "rank" higher in search
engine results pages, thereby increasing the amount of organic (or free) traffic
your website receives. The channels that benefit from SEO include:
- Websites
- Blogs
- Infographics
Content Marketing
This term denotes the creation and promotion of content assets for the purpose of
generating brand awareness, traffic growth, lead generation, and customers. The
channels that can play a part in your content marketing strategy include:
- Blog posts.
- Ebooks and whitepapers.
- Infographics.
- Online brochures and lookbooks.
Social Media Marketing
This practice promotes your brand and your content on social media channels to increase
brand awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads for your business. The channels
you can use in social media marketing include:
- Facebook
- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Instagram
- Snapchat
- Pinterest
- Google+
Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
PPC is a method of driving traffic to your website by paying a publisher every time
your ad is clicked. One of the most common types of PPC is Google AdWords, which allows you to pay for top slots on
Google's search engine results pages at a price "per click" of the
links you place. Other channels where you can use PPC include:
Affiliate Marketing
This is a type of performance-based advertising where you receive commission for
promoting someone else's products or services on your website. Affiliate marketing
channels include:
Native Advertising
Native advertising refers to advertisements that are primarily content-led and featured
on a platform alongside other, non-paid content. BuzzFeed-sponsored posts are a
good example, but many people also consider social media advertising to be "native"
--
Facebook advertising and Instagram advertising, for example.
Marketing Automation
Marketing
automation refers to the software that serves to automate your basic marketing
operations. Many marketing departments can automate repetitive tasks they would
otherwise do manually, such as:
- Email newsletters.
- Social media post scheduling.
- Contact list updating.
- Lead-nurturing workflows.
- Campaign tracking and reporting.
Email Marketing
Companies use email marketing as a way of communicating with their audiences. Email
is often used to promote content, discounts and events, as well as to direct people
toward the business's website. The types of emails you might send in an email
marketing campaign include:
- Blog subscription newsletters.
- Follow-up emails to website visitors who downloaded something.
- Customer welcome emails.
- Holiday promotions to loyalty program members.
- Tips or similar series emails for customer nurturing.
Online PR
Online PR is the practice of securing earned online coverage with digital publications,
blogs, and other content-based websites. It's much like traditional PR, but
in the online space. The channels you can use to maximize your PR efforts include:
- Reporter outreach via social media.
- Engaging online reviews of your company.
- Engaging comments on your personal website or blog.