What Are The 7 Types Of Digital Marketing?

Table of Contents

SEO

SEO is short for search engine optimization. Its main function is to boost website traffic by increasing its ranking in the organic (unpaid) results on search engines.

For example, let’s say you are searching for “a dentist near me” on Google. The first result will be an ad, while the second one could be a map with directions to that dentist. The third result is likely to be the organic/unpaid result, which would be the website of that dentist, while the rest will exist below this (the paid results).

Pros

– It can be less expensive than other channels.

Cons

– It takes several months before the results are seen (and it depends on how competitive your industry is).

SEM

SEM stands for search engine marketing and it involves buying ads on search engines in order to drive traffic to your website or landing page, with the ultimate goal of converting leads.

Pros

– You can use it for branding and awareness.

– You can track the results easily (clicks, conversions etc.).

– It is relatively less expensive than SEO.

Cons

– You are competing for ad space with other marketers, which means you have to pay more.

SMM

SMM stands for social media marketing and it’s all about driving traffic to your website through building a following on channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc.

Pros

– You can use it for awareness, brand building and direct sales.

Cons

– It takes time to build a following (it can take months – sometimes years).

Affiliate Marketing

A marketing arrangement in which an online retailer pays commissions to website owners who promote their products on their sites

Pros

– Inexpensive way to gain exposure

– Flexible terms for both retailers and affiliates

– Generates leads and sales

Cons

– Can be difficult to build up a good network of affiliates

– Can be costly if not done correctly

– May take a while to see results

Content Marketing

Content is king and this line rings very true when it comes to digital marketing. Content is what you share on your website or blog in order to be found by search engines.

Pros

– It is relatively inexpensive.

– You are able to target your audience very precisely (age, demographics etc.).

– It is good for branding and awareness.

Cons

– Your content has to be high quality in order to get results.

Email Marketing

This involves sending bulk emails about promotions, discounts and offers through email services like MailChimp.

Pros

– It is relatively inexpensive.

Cons

– You have to rent an email list.

– It can be ineffective if you are sending bulk emails about promotions to people who are not interested in your products.

Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing, as the name implies, involves promoting your business through mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Pros

– It is relatively inexpensive.

– The results can be very targeted (e.g., you can advertise to people based on their location or demographics).

Cons

– Mobile ads generally have a low click-through rate.

– The results are not always trackable.

If you would like to learn more about digital marketing then read our Ultimate Guide To Digital Marketing.

Conclusion

Nowadays, Marketing is all about digital and your business needs to adapt or risk falling behind. The 7 types of digital marketing we presented in this article are the most common so you should be familiar with them and how they help you get more online exposure.