What is digital marketing

Digital marketing, also called online marketing, is the promotion of brands to connect with potential customers using the internet and other forms of digital communication. This includes email, social media, web-based advertising, and even text and multimedia messages as marketing channels. Essentially, if a marketing campaign involves digital communication, it’s digital marketing.

There are many specializations within digital marketing, reflecting the variety of ways brands can interact with audiences.

One key example is search engine optimization (SEO), which is more of a marketing tool than a form of marketing itself. The Balance defines SEO as “the art and science of making web pages attractive to search engines.”

It’s a science because it requires research and analysis to optimize for high rankings.
It’s an art because of the unpredictability in achieving results.

Key SEO elements include:

Quality of content
Level of user engagement
Mobile-friendliness
Number and quality of inbound links

NOTE:

Digital marketing uses multiple channels, including websites, mobile devices, and social media platforms.
It differs from internet marketing, which is exclusively website-based.
It includes strategies like email, content marketing, search, and social media.
Standing out in an oversaturated ad environment is a key challenge.
Implicit bias can affect digital campaigns.

How Digital Marketing Works

Marketing involves activities to promote products/services and grow market share. It combines advertising skills, sales strategies, and effective delivery to end users.

Traditionally, marketing used print, TV, and radio. The internet brought a shift toward websites, social media, search engines, and apps, enabling two-way communication with customers.

Digital marketing evolved alongside technology:

Email was an early tool.
Search engines like Netscape introduced keyword optimization.
Social media like Facebook enabled targeted data-driven marketing.
Smartphones now dominate online access, with about 70% of people making purchase decisions on mobile devices before buying.

Sources and Receivers

Sources = Advertisers
Receivers = Target audiences

Example: McDonald’s targeted shift workers and travelers—key late-night customers—through ads on ATMs, gas stations, and relevant websites, encouraging them to download the Restaurant Finder app.

Types of Digital Marketing Channels

Website Marketing – The central hub for campaigns; should be fast, mobile-friendly, and brand-focused.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising – Paid ads on platforms like Google, Bing, Facebook; targeted by demographics, interests, or location.
Content Marketing – Blogs, eBooks, infographics, podcasts, webinars to attract and educate audiences.
Email Marketing – Direct outreach to leads and customers; highly effective when combined with other channels.
Social Media Marketing – Builds brand awareness, trust, and sometimes direct sales via posts and ads.
Affiliate Marketing – Influencers promote products for commissions (e.g., Amazon Affiliates).
Video Marketing – Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for reviews, tutorials, and storytelling.
SMS Messaging – Text campaigns for promotions, political outreach, and donations.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Marketers track KPIs to measure performance:

Blog Articles – Posts published monthly.
Clickthrough Rates (CTR) – Email engagement metrics.
Conversion Rate – Percentage of people completing desired actions.
Social Media Traffic – Likes, shares, views, and follows.
Website Traffic – Number of visitors and engagement quality.

Digital Marketing Challenges

Rapidly evolving channels require constant adaptation.
Audience attention is harder to capture amid ad saturation.
Data analysis is complex but vital.
Requires deep consumer behavior insights (e.g., website heatmaps).

Implicit Bias in Digital Marketing

Implicit bias = subconscious attitudes toward groups of people.

Algorithms drive much of digital marketing, but they can reflect the biases of those who program them. Even stock photos or videos can unintentionally exclude diversity in race, body type, or ability.

Related Concepts

Digital Marketing Agency – Specializes in online campaigns across multiple channels.
SEO in Digital Marketing – Improves search visibility organically or via paid ads.
Internet Marketing – Website-only marketing; a subset of digital marketing.

Becoming a Digital Marketer

Skills Needed – Writing, analytics, social media proficiency.
Education – Bachelor’s in marketing, communications, or related fields.
Experience – Internships, boot camps, hands-on projects.
Optional – Master’s degree in digital marketing.

The Bottom Line

Traditional advertising still exists, but digital marketing is equally important—if not more. As technology evolves, so will marketing strategies, offering vast opportunities alongside challenges like ad oversaturation and bias.