Digital Marketing
More than 67% of the world’s population uses the internet to find information and connect with friends over social media. Since the internet plays such a major role in society, it only makes sense that marketers rely on it to reach customers. Digital marketing allows marketers to use digital tools to connect with customers via search engines, email, social media and other digital channels.
Digital marketing is a spin-off of traditional marketing efforts. In traditional marketing, companies use print media, television, and the radio to connect with their audience. However, digital marketing emerged as the internet gained steam in the 1990s and early 2000s. Today’s brands rely on digital marketing channels to promote their products and services. This article explains the basics of digital marketing, its benefits and the career opportunities it presents.
Digital marketing, sometimes referred to as online marketing, is often the first point of contact in the customer experience. It uses various strategies and tools to reach and engage targeted audiences or organizations through the internet and electronic devices. These digital marketing channels include, but are not limited to:
- Websites
- Social media channels
- Mobile apps
- Online advertising
- Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
- Search engines
- SMS text messages
While specific practices might look slightly different depending on an organization’s model, both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) companies rely heavily on digital marketing.
Generally, B2B commerce involves a longer decision-making process and might involve a broader team of stakeholders. B2C commerce, by contrast, tends to be more personal and its consumers more impulsive. Nonetheless, Gartner has estimated that by 2025, 80% of commerce between businesses will take place digitally. Given this, digital marketing is essential for lead generation and customer retention for B2B organizations.
Since its emergence in the 1990s as an outgrowth of a growing ecommerce landscape, digital marketing has changed the way brands advertise across channels and what consumers expect from those brands. In the modern digital landscape, big data analytics tools are typically used to accurately and efficiently identify potential audiences.
Concurrently, advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and associated technologies have transformed the digital marketing landscape, paving the way for more advanced personalization practices and intelligent digital marketing campaigns. Today, businesses use marketing automations, AI-assisted virtual agents and generative content products to attract customers and nurture potential leads.