Online marketing channels have revolutionized how products and services are promoted and advertised to customers. There are about 4.33 billion active internet users in the world, which presents an attractive opportunity for brands to move their marketing campaigns online.
However, it is getting harder for brands to get the attention of consumers. So, they need to optimize their online strategy to get the desired results. Each type of internet marketing has a distinct role to play. This article will help you understand different types of internet marketing channels and why they should be a part of your plan. If you want to learn more, check out our digital marketing programs.
Let’s explore them one by one.
Types of Online Marketing Channels
1) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization, as the name suggests, is about making your website page rank higher on internet search engines like Google, Bing, etc. Suppose a user does an online search on ‘How to bake a cake.’ If the web page of your recipe is among the top results, the user is more likely to click on it.
Boosting the SEO of your page will not only enhance its online visibility and also improve its traffic and activity. It is an SEO best practice to include relevant keywords and manage links in your content to appear in the unpaid ‘organic’ search lists. Also, you can also take help from online tools like Google Keyword Planner, Bing Webmaster, Moz, Keywordtool.io, etc. Link Building tools such as Ahrefs, BuzzStream, GroupHigh can help you build backlinks & analyze the competitors’ backlinks.
2) Pay Per Click (PPC)
Pay Per Click can prove to be one of the most effective internet marketing channels if utilized correctly. The goal of PPC is to turn latent users into engaged prospects and further convert them as buyers. For example, clicking on an online display ad can lead prospective clients to another page whose content gives more information about it.
If they remain hooked throughout the experience, they can end up making a purchase. PPC ads are usually shown as sponsored stories, product listings, or video ads on websites and social media platforms. Most of the time, these online promotions are based on profile interests and search terms. Read about Google AdWords Interview Questions and Answers.
3) Email Marketing
Email offers a much more personal way of connecting with your targeted customers. It is a type of internet marketing that can truly make you stand out. You can offer exclusive ‘insider’ content, special discounts, and customized content to your email subscribers to make them feel special. The attractive bargains may also prompt non-subscribers to sign up for updates.
By implementing the advanced techniques of email marketing, you don’t just help in driving more sales and conversions but also develop a sense of loyalty. This is one of those online marketing channels that lets you match your spending to individual clients and know where they stand in their purchasing cycle. However, your well-crafted and targeted email campaign could also end up in the spam folder. So, make sure that your program does not disregard spam laws.
4) Social Media Marketing
Social media is one of the most powerful internet marketing channels today. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, etc. provide a space for dynamic two-way communication. Internet users spend most of their time in these online spaces. So, brands cannot miss the opportunity to grab more eyeballs and effectively need to promote their brands.
Users see promoted content based on their profile, interests, likes, and the content they share. The “everything to everyone” approach no longer works. Moreover, social media makes it possible for organizations to connect with prospects, answer their queries, and enter conversations!
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5) Video Advertising
Video advertising is one of the most entertaining and interactive online marketing channels. It includes online display ads that have a video within them. Such ads are also played before, during, or after a video stream. After watching the ad, the viewer usually sees a call to action to purchase that product or service or know more about it. With television advertising, there is no way to do such a thing!
6) Network Marketing
Network marketing is an offshoot of the social media marketing that makes use of the associations and groups existing all over the internet. It is all about identifying a pool of influencers, wholesalers, or professionals who can tell your targeted audience about your business.
You have to find a way to assemble such groups and keep them updated and engaged throughout your digital campaign. And your product may become the next web sensation with a positive word of mouth from them!
7) Contextual Marketing
Contextual marketing is not just a form of advertising but also a brand image-building exercise. Here, the marketer intends to advance the business without being a stickler about the medium used. Companies can engage in this type of online marketing through guest blogging and purchasing blog reviews. The first step is identifying a platform with a significant overlapping audience and high ranking pages. Follow this by promoting your content on the site to optimize your online presence.
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8) Affiliate Marketing
Online sellers can get other dealers to sell their products and services. This is called affiliate marketing, wherein one business offers another’s products as an add-on or deal package along with its own. The guidelines and prerequisites may be different for every seller. Affiliate marketing is quite similar to a commissioned sales job.
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9) Content Marketing
Content marketing is a way of aligning the content of your online advertising campaign in a way that it achieves all the key goals. These may include:
Sharing: Is it getting exposure? Is it on its way to becoming ‘viral’ on the internet?
Discussions: Is the campaign entering conversations? Is it getting people to talk?
Leads: Is your online advertising bringing any issues to light? Are your efforts making your prospects recognize their needs?
Sales: Are you making any sales as a result of your online campaign?
A successful digital marketing campaign should be able to answer at least one of the above questions!
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Wrapping Up
Digital media is constantly changing, and online marketing is evolving with it. If you want to keep up the pace with this dynamically changing external environment, you must enroll for a full-fledged Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing & Communication. Being aware of internet marketing channels and how to use them to your advantage would help you stay relevant. With the right online campaign, you can reap great rewards for your business!
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How does digital marketing work?
As a digital marketer, it is your responsibility to make this marketing concept work to your advantage. To do that, you must remember that for different types of business, digital marketing will work differently. Moreover, the outcome of your digital campaign will be determined by how well you formulate and execute your strategy. However, if you see that digital marketing is not showing any positive results, then it’s probably not suited to your business or your strategy or execution of it has not been right.
To put things into perspective, digital marketing works when you combine different verticals like SEO, Social Media Marketing, PPC, Email marketing and many other digital marketing techniques to target your potential audience. The goal is to convert them into paying customers.
How can you decide on which digital marketing channels to use for your business?
Digital marketing has a variety of channels to promote your products and services. You have the option of using one or more such channels depending on the marketing initiatives and strategies for your business.
Your channels are the only mediums in digital platforms that you can use to communicate and engage with your target audience. Digital marketing techniques and strategies are completely different ballgames. With a digital marketing approach in place, you can concentrate on your overall objectives, monitor your targets and boost your digital marketing outcomes.
How can you start a career in digital marketing?
While you can embark on your digital marketing career without any formal qualifications, there will come a time where you will need to specialise in a digital sub-domain and get an appropriate professional certification or degree. Furthermore, a professional qualification from a well-known institute adds weightage to your resume too.
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