types

There are many forms of digital marketing; typically, an organization engages in several forms concurrently, crafting cohesive messaging that’s tailored-made for each channel or campaign. Organizations also combine digital marketing strategies into hybrid marketing plans.

For instance, a digital content marketing campaign might take advantage of SEO practices and solicit customer feedback on social media channels. This is to help ensure that its material is relevant and more likely to be viewed.

Search engine optimization is a digital strategy in which an organization optimizes webpages to rank as highly as possible in a search engine results page (SERP). The goal of an SEO strategy is to increase the quantity and quality of organic (unpaid) traffic to a website from search engines. This involves researching keywords specific to a search term and relevant to consumers, and then using techniques involving headings, titles, backlinks and metadata to help the content rank highly.

Search engine marketing is similar to SEO in that it aims to increase the number of internet users who come across a piece of content when using a search engine. However, unlike SEO it is a form of paid advertising. Google Ads, which allows organizations to buy search results based on keywords and displays them at the top of a page in a designated advertising module, is a prominent example of SEM.

With a content marketing strategy, an organization creates relevant content distinct from an advertisement. Such as a white paper, podcast, infographic or blog—to attract a specific audience, encourage engagement and build trust. With content marketing, a company can promote brand awareness, establish thought leaders and industry experts from its employees and remain top-of-mind when consumers are looking to buy.

Social media marketing uses various social networks—for example TikTok, Instagram or LinkedIn—to promote an organization’s outlook and engage followers.

Typically, successful social media marketing campaigns do more than advertise goods and services. With an effective social media strategy, a brand can remain in ongoing conversations with its followers. It can also stay on top of trends in real-time and analyze performance metrics to build trust and continuously optimize its customer-facing practices.

When the term ‘mobile marketing’ was first in use, this referred to marketing conducted over a mobile device using simple text messaging. Since the advent of smartphones, mobile marketing refers to more than basic text messages.

Today, mobile marketing engages potential customers across myriad digital platforms. It includes sophisticated SMS and MMS communications, the use of apps and app push notifications, and mobile-only promos and commerce opportunities. While simpler than other forms of digital marketing, it is considered highly effective as a marketing channel that can reach consumers in a way they are accustomed to communicating every day.

PPC advertising is a form of digital marketing where advertisers pay a fee each time a consumer interacts with an ad. These ads can be video advertisements, ads displayed in a search engine, or embedded content on a social media platform. As this form of marketing is paid rather than organic, organizations typically closely track metrics such as the click-through-rate to help ensure that PPC advertising is meeting key performance indicators (KPIs).

Though one of the most enduring forms of digital marketing, email marketing has significantly evolved since the first organizations sent messages to consumers advertising a set of goods or services. Today, email marketing, assisted by automation and generative AI, can create personalized content for individual customers based on their preferences and purchase histories.

Common types of email marketing campaigns include postpurchase follow-ups and reminders after a customer has abandoned an item in a shopping cart. Content marketing strategies might also be deployed over email, encouraging customers to sign up for an email newsletter or listen to the latest episode of a podcast.

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy where organizations reward partners, or affiliates, for driving traffic or sales through their promotional efforts. Typically, an organization recruits an affiliate with an established platform to promote their business to a relevant audience. Using a unique code or URL, the organization can track how many conversions resulted from the partnership, paying the affiliate a rate based on how many items were sold.

Influencer marketing is similar to affiliate marketing, but rather than engaging in a profit-sharing agreement based on conversions, an influencer is typically paid a flat fee. An influencer might craft a sponsored post to promote a singular good or service. They might also post a paid product review on a platform such as TikTok, or continue an ongoing relationship with an organization as a brand ambassador.

Typically, organizations engaging with influencers research extensively to help ensure the individual advertising their goods has a following that significantly overlaps with their target audience.

In chatbot marketing, automated computer programs interact with potential customers. They can be integrated into nearly any website, social media platform or mobile app, turning any point of contact into a marketing platform. They can also be deployed over text message to reach a customer wherever they are most engaged.

Chatbots are programmed to answer commonly asked questions and provide information about a product or service. They can also provide personalized recommendations based on previous conversations with a potential consumer, engaging a lead and ushering them through the moment of conversion. While still effective, these basic chatbots are rapidly being replaced by more high-functioning AI-powered virtual assistants.