The 4 Most Successful Types of Digital Marketing


Digital Marketing

Explosive growth in the tech industry over the past two decades has resulted in sweeping changes for a number of different fields, including digital marketing. In the earliest days of digital marketing, companies were limited to simple banner ad placements. Since then, the diversity and capabilities of digital marketing have grown significantly. The practice of marketing in 2017 involves many different types of digital marketing.

Exceptional Types of Digital Marketing

Not all types of digital marketing are created equal. As with more traditional forms of advertising, such as print, TV, and radio, there’s no one form of marketing that is universally appropriate for every company.

However, in our experience, inbound marketing remains one of the most – if not the most – consistently effective types of digital marketing.

The inherent premise of inbound marketing is strategically positioning your company in such a way that prospects, leads, and customers are drawn in, as opposed to being asked to purchase or interact. When you read about inbound marketing (and related types of digital marketing), you’ll frequently see the phrase upfront value. Upfront value is the concept of providing something your customers need completely free of charge. Once they trust you as a resource for information, they can then be converted into paying customers who return to your business time and time again.

Essential inbound marketing strategies, tactics, and methods:

  • Blogging
  • Content production
  • Lead generation
  • Follow-up emails and lead nurturing
  • Webinars

As detailed by HubSpot, inbound marketing is a four-step process. First, you attract your ideal prospects with an offer that helps them solve a problem or resolve an issue. The offer can be something as simple as a single-page checklist, or a more extensive piece of work like a white paper or infographic. Second, you turn prospects into leads by demonstrating how your company can further help them implement solutions. Third, you convert leads into customers by providing value through resources and offers that encourage them to purchase or do business with your company. Finally, your company then needs to delight the customer with your product or service once a transaction has been made.

The fact of the matter is that inbound marketing helps create trust and value with your customers before you ask them to make a purchase. That alone makes them more likely to buy (and continue to buy) from your company.

Additional Types of Digital Marketing

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) remains an effective, tried-and-true method of promoting your business. Although some believe it’s not quite the silver bullet it was in the earliest days of the web, many marketers report that SEO effectiveness is actually rising. Regardless, SEO still plays a critical role in helping businesses get discovered by their target customers. One of the best aspects of SEO is how it can be used across multiple types of digital marketing.

Email Marketing

Contrary to certain industry reports, email marketing is far from being “dead”. As with SEO, the exact application and standards for email as a type of digital marketing have significantly changed since its inception. Regardless, it remains an extraordinarily cost-effective method of attracting new clients, as well as retaining and nurturing your current customer base. Moreover, email offers a key advantage most businesses can’t afford to pass up: the vast majority of all customers have email addresses. The same can’t be said for many types of digital marketing, including social media.

Social Media Marketing

One of the most popular types of digital marketing is social media marketing. The rise of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and many other platforms has created a burgeoning marketplace where businesses can connect with audiences. As new platforms have appeared and evolved, each offers unique advantages brands can use to reach different markets. B2B businesses can benefit from using LinkedIn, while B2C businesses can choose from a range of platforms, depending on their audience preferences and the types of content they can produce.

Depending on the type of business certain types of digital marketing can be used in tandem to create a more well-rounded marketing strategy. Social media marketing for example is used in many other types of digital marketing, including inbound and email marketing.

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