Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other. – Edmund Burke

Introduction

So let’s start learning about digital marketing through the oldest method known to humankind – by examples 🤔.

In layman’s terms:

➡️ Seeing cool ads for shoes on your phone while scrolling through social media: That’s a company using social media marketing to target people who might be interested in their product.

➡️ Getting an email with a discount code for a local restaurant: This is email marketing, a way for businesses to stay connected and send special offers to their customers.

➡️ Searching online for “best Italian restaurants near me” and finding a great spot: This involves search engine optimization (SEO), where businesses try to ensure their website appears high in search results.

➡️ Watching a funny video about a new phone and wanting to learn more: This could be video marketing, where companies use entertaining videos to grab your attention and showcase their products.

➡️ Influencers on YouTube or Instagram raving about a new makeup line: That’s influencer marketing, where businesses partner with popular online personalities to promote their products.

➡️ Other examples include:

• Running contests on social media to generate excitement about a new product launch.
• Responding to customer comments and questions online to build relationships.
• Creating blog posts with helpful tips or interesting stories related to your business.
• Using data to track how well your marketing campaigns are performing and make adjustments.

Basically, anything a business does online to connect with potential or existing customers can be considered digital marketing! The key idea behind digital marketing is using various online channels and tactics to reach potential customers where they spend their time, engage with them, and eventually promote your products or services in a targeted and measurable way.

Types of Digital Marketing

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimizing your website and content to improve its ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. This helps drive organic traffic to your website.

2. Social Media Marketing: Using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to connect with your audience, build brand awareness, and promote your content and services.

3. Pay-per-click (PPC) Advertising: Running targeted ads on search engines, social media platforms, and other websites. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

4. Email Marketing: Building an email list and sending targeted marketing messages to promote your products, services, and special offers.

5. Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with other businesses to promote their products or services on your website or social media in exchange for a commission on sales generated.

6. Mobile Marketing: Reaching your audience through mobile devices using techniques like SMS marketing, mobile apps, and responsive web design.

7. Marketing Automation: Using software to automate repetitive marketing tasks like email campaigns, social media posting, and lead nurturing.

8. Video Marketing: Creating and sharing video content to promote your brand, educate your audience, and showcase your products or services.

9. Influencer Marketing: Partnering with social media influencers to promote your brand or products to their audience.

10. Public Relations (PR) and Online Reputation Management: Building positive relationships with the media and managing your online reputation through press releases, social media engagement, and crisis communication.

11. Content Marketing: This involves creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content such as blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, and ebooks to attract and engage a clearly defined target audience. The goal is to drive profitable customer action while positioning your brand as an authority in your industry.

How to get started in the field of digital marketing?

Here are some steps to get started in the field of digital marketing:

1. Learn the fundamentals:

• Develop a strong understanding of the core concepts of digital marketing, including SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, PPC advertising, and analytics.
• Take online courses, read books/blogs, and watch tutorials to gain theoretical knowledge.

2. Build practical skills:

• Learn how to use popular digital marketing tools and platforms like Google Analytics, SEMrush, Hootsuite, MailChimp, WordPress, etc.
• Practice by creating your own website, blog, or social media accounts and experiment with different tactics.

3. Get certified:

• Pursue industry-recognized certifications like Google Ads Certification, Facebook Blueprint Certification, HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification, etc. These demonstrate your skills and knowledge.

4. Gain experience:

• Look for internships or entry-level digital marketing jobs to gain hands-on experience and build your portfolio.
• Freelance or take on small projects to develop your skills and expand your portfolio.

5. Specialize:

• While having a broad understanding is important, consider specializing in a specific area like SEO, PPC, social media marketing, content marketing, etc., based on your interests and strengths.

6. Network and stay updated:

• Attend digital marketing conferences, meetups, and webinars to network with professionals and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices.
• Follow industry leaders, influencers, and blogs to learn from their insights and experiences.

7. Consider formal education (optional):

• While not mandatory, pursuing a degree or diploma in marketing, communication, or a related field can provide a solid foundation and enhance your credibility.

8. Continuously learn and adapt:

• Digital marketing is a rapidly evolving field, so be prepared to continuously learn and adapt to new technologies, platforms, and strategies.

The key is to start practicing, gaining experience, building a portfolio, and continuously expanding your knowledge and skills in digital marketing.

Thank you for your time. Stay tuned for more exciting stuff!

FAQs

What are the 7 Cs of Digital Marketing?
The 7 Cs of digital marketing are- Content, Context, Connection, Convenience, Conversion, Credibility and Calculation. To learn more about this- Click here!

What are the 7 P’s of digital marketing?
The 7 Ps of digital marketing are- Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process and Physical evidence. To learn more about this- Click here!

Which field is best in digital marketing?
Best field depends on your interest, skills and career goals. Explore various fields and decide for yourself. Whatever suits you best, is best for you.

Can I teach myself digital marketing?
Yes! Follow the steps enlisted under the subheading- how to get started in the field of digital marketing in the above blog.

Can I start digital marketing for free?
Yes! You can get started with digital marketing for free using multiple free SEO tools available online. And Of course, there’s always the free trial. 😉

What is the full form of SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation. SEO is all about getting your website seen by the right people at the right time in search engines. Learn more here.

Is an MBA required in digital marketing?
No! But if you are interested in MBA, Go for it! It is definitely not a requirement for digital marketing.