Marketing is the process of attracting customers and building a relationship with them. Marketing is constantly evolving, and there are multiple ways in which marketers may appeal to consumers. Email, social media, and advertisements are resources used to engage customers.
Digital marketing. Internet marketing. Online marketing. Email marketing. These are all broad terms that are sometimes used relatively interchangeably. So why have them all if they mean the same thing?
As it turns out, there are subtle nuances in some of the phrases. Online marketing and internet marketing are similar enough, but digital marketing and email marketing are two really different sectors of marketing. There’s absolutely some overlap, but there are some differences, too.
What Do Each of These Terms Mean?
In order to understand their differences and decide which forms of marketing are optimal for your business, we’ll take a look at each individual field of marketing to see what each actually encompasses.
Email marketing
Email marketing is a more specific form of digital marketing. This channel uses email to deliver a brand’s marketing message to a list of email subscribers who have explicitly consented to receive promotional and marketing material from a brand.
This specific channel is one of the most popular because it generates the overall highest return on investment. Email marketing describes all emails sent to customers and prospective customers.
Direct sales emails are designed to entice new or existing customers to buy a particular product or service. Some emails are designed to improve customer loyalty and the overall client relationship by offering discount coupons or promoting a sales event.
One benefit of email marketing is its low cost compared to traditional methods such as direct mailings of promotional postcards and letters, which include postage costs.
Digital Marketing
And last but not least, we’ve got digital marketing. Digital marketing is perhaps the most all-encompassing term of the three. It includes both internet marketing and emarketing. It’s also going to include almost any type of marketing that has anything to do with a digital interface—everything is lumped together under this one umbrella.
Examples of tactics and focal points exclusive to digital marketing include:
Mobile apps for your business and related push notifications
Electronic billboards
In-app PPC ads
Databases that contain market research or audience information
TV commercials
Some aspects of digital marketing are extremely modern and forward-thinking, like push notifications. Others, like electronic billboards or even TV commercials, may be becoming outdated, with high costs and lower payoff than other types of internet marketing.
Note that not everyone who says they’re a digital marketer will have experience in every type of digital marketing.
Many SEO experts or even PPC agencies advertise themselves as digital marketers but have never rented out a billboard or purchased a commercial spot from a podcast. Take a close look at what different agencies offer in terms of specific services before making the plunge.
This media is often viewed via display advertising, over the internet, using mobile phones and any other digital medium. It’s used not only to inform the public of a brand, but to advertise their products and services as well.
Comparing the Trends for 2019
Facebook Is Getting Bigger
If you’re like most digital marketers, you’ve already understood the importance of Facebook. 2018 was a difficult year for the platform.
It got a bad reputation for being a platform for political propaganda… and should we even mention the data breach scandal that shook the world? Personal data from 14 million accounts was stolen. So people grew kind of hesitant towards the network.
But Facebook still is massive. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 68% of U.S. adults say they use Facebook. This is the primary platform for Americans to get their information and interact with people on a daily basis.
Facebook keeps getting better. It’s even getting into the category of online learning. We saw other cool updates, such as music for profiles and Facebook Stories. The platform keeps giving you tools to promote your brand in a cooler way.
YouTube Is a Major Trend
That Pew Research Center survey we mentioned above showed an interesting trend: YouTube is the primary platform that U.S. adults use. Although it’s not what we’d call a traditional social media platform, it still has a social element to it. 94% of U.S. adults from 18 to 24 years old use YouTube online or on their phones.
That percentage is extreme. In terms of digital marketing, this means that more brands will invest in YouTube advertising, as well as in proper video campaigns.
Authenticity Is More Important Than Ever
Online marketers realized that authenticity was important a long time ago. Instead of focusing on traditional advertising, they started harnessing the power of influencer recommendations.
But the audience started seeing right through that technique. They no longer trust influencers the way they used to. You’ll find plenty of Instagram account dedicated to mocking influencers for their “genuine” sharing.
2018 was marked by a big scandal in the Instagram community, which involved the unethical marketing techniques of Alo Yoga and its influencers.
This is taking us to a whole new level of authenticity. Yes… influencers are still an important aspect of online marketing. The campaigns, however, will have to grow not in size, but in depth and audience interaction.
This is where we’re really getting in the field of e-marketing, where the focus is placed on the consumers. The 2017 Consumer Content Report: Influence in the Digital Age by Stackla showed that for 90% of MIllennials, authenticity is an important factor for choosing brands to support.
So if you’re collaborating with influencers or you decide to get essay help for the content you share, authenticity is a crucial focus to maintain.
Long-Form Content Brings High Value
Long-form content comes in the form of elaborate articles, eBooks, guides, and blogs that usually go beyond 1,500 words. This is a trend that’s related to the previous one. Long-form content makes your brand appear authentic.
Brief blog posts of 400-500 words on a daily basis make you look like you try too hard to publish content regularly. These articles can’t provide much value for the readers unless you’re focused on an audience that demands brief entertainment. If your audience is focused on getting value, you’ll have to work harder.
Hiring a professional writing service might be a good idea. Superior Papers is a great option on an international level. If you need content that specifically targets the Australian audience, you can try an Aussie service – MyAssignmentWriting.
What Do These Trends Tell Us?
The major trends are all about e-marketing. Digital marketing, as a broader category, is getting more and more focused on the web and email. Most of all, marketers are being concerned about managing customer relationships.
So if you’re promoting small business, it’s best to narrow down your scope to e-marketing. If it’s a big brand we’re talking about, then you can afford to invest in a broader digital marketing campaign that goes beyond the online world.
The choice is yours. Whatever you decide to do, however, you need to develop a precise marketing plan based on the trends for 2019.
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