Today, digital marketing is one of the most important strategic initiatives for businesses. Many people turn to the internet for information on businesses and products as consumers like to be educated about their purchases. Using different digital marketing strategies to promote your business and products digitally will help you reach your audience through the channels that they’re already engaging with.

So before beginning our learning on the types of digital marketing, let us first understand what is digital marketing.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing refers to any marketing strategy that uses an electronic device that may or may not is connected to the internet. Even radio ads and television commercials are digital marketing strategies, though digital marketing has evolved, and new strategies can be much more effective.

Digital marketing is important when it comes to being competitive and relevant within your industry. If your business has no web or digital presence, you’re missing out on countless opportunities to reach out to your target audience.

Next, let us learn about the different types of digital marketing.

Types of Digital Marketing

There are many types of digital marketing that you can leverage to increase your audience reach. Using multiple digital marketing channels can help you create a well-rounded strategy that will yield the best results.

To help you determine which digital marketing strategies may work best for your business, here are six of the most effective types of digital marketing:

*1. Content Marketing. Content marketing refers to informational, valuable content like blog posts, how-to videos, and other instructional materials. This type of marketing helps you connect with your audience and answer their questions. It can also help to generate leads and close sales.

Content should be published regularly with the target audience in mind. Ideally, your brand would become a trusted voice within the industry by publishing quality, reliable content. You want your audience to come to you first for information on the latest industry trends.

*2. Search Engine Optimization Search engine optimization, (SEO), is the strategy of creating content in such a way that search engines like Google will rank your page high on the search engine results page (SERP).

Google uses algorithms to decide how relevant your page is to the keywords that the user is searching for. These algorithms update frequently, and SEO strategies must be adjusted just as regularly to remain effective.

When done properly, SEO efforts will put your page at the top of the SERP and bring in more organic traffic.

*3. Search Engine Marketing/Pay-per-Click Search engine marketing, or SEM, refers to paid advertisements that appear at the top of the SERP. The cost of these ads typically depends on the number of clicks the link receives, hence “pay-per-click.”

When you pay for these top SERP slots, the “Ad” label will appear next to your URL. Despite consumer knowledge that these are ads, many still click on these links, and it can be a very effective digital marketing strategy.

*4. Social Media Marketing With social media marketing, social media platforms are used as a digital marketing channel. Ads can be bought to reach out to a new audience, or you can create a profile for your business on any social media platform and create posts to advertise new products, sales, or freshly published content.

Which social media platform you will use will depend on the type of audience you want to reach. For example, according to Pew Research, Instagram is best for reaching audiences between the ages of 25 and 29, while those 65+ can be best achieved through Facebook.

*5. Affiliate and Influencer Marketing Working with an affiliate or influencer can help increase your audience reach by engaging with their existing audience. For an effective affiliate/influencer relationship, try to work with an individual who is well-known and respected within your industry. They can create content promoting your business or product and share a link to your website. Every time a sale is completed, or a link is clicked, the influencer/affiliate will receive a kickback.

*6. Email Marketing When someone visits your website or business, invite them to join an email subscriber list. With their permission, you can send emails about sales, special events, or product releases. Email marketing is often underestimated, and according to Lyfe Marketing, approximately $40 of revenue is brought in for every dollar spent on email marketing.

The most important part of this digital marketing channel is that it should provide value to your audience. Offer them exclusives that they would not receive anywhere else, and you can build a mutually beneficial relationship that will increase brand loyalty.

Now that we have understood the types of digital marketing, let us next look into the details such as when and how to use the different types of digital marketing.

When and How to Use Different Types of Marketing?

Depending on which stage your business is in, different digital marketing strategies will serve you better.

For new businesses looking to expand their audience reach, SEM, social media, and affiliate/influencer marketing can help you reach new audiences quickly.

Once you’ve established an audience, focus on creating valuable content and increasing brand loyalty through channels like email marketing. Create this content with SEO in mind so your website will continue to draw in new organic traffic.

To move your digital marketing strategy to the next level, invest in a training course like Simplilearn’s Digital Marketing Training course. A program like this will give you all the information that you need to build the most effective strategy possible.

What Types of Digital Marketing are Best for Your Business?

Choosing the best digital marketing strategy for your business can be difficult, and there may be some trial and error. One of the most essential things to consider is your audience. Who are you trying to reach and where are they looking for information?

If you want to capture the attention of a niche audience who knows a lot about the industry, in-depth, informational content will create value and draw them in.

If you’re trying to reach a young audience, one of the most useful tools available to you is social media. Find out which types of digital marketing platforms are the most popular among your target audience and start marketing there.