What is digital marketing and how does it work?
Digital marketing, also known as online marketing, is the promotion of companies in order to interact with potential customers through the use of the internet and other kinds of digital communication. It is also known as online advertising. Not only does this include email, social media, and web-based advertising, but it also includes text and multimedia messages as a form of marketing.
To put it simply, digital marketing refers to any marketing campaign that uses digital communication to achieve its goals.
The difference between inbound marketing and digital marketing
The terms digital marketing and inbound marketing are frequently used interchangeably, and for good reason. Many of the same techniques that are used in inbound marketing are used in digital marketing, including email and web content, to mention a few. Essentially, both are designed to attract prospects’ attention along the buyer’s journey and convert them into customers. The two approaches, on the other hand, have very different perspectives on the link between the instrument and the aim.
Digital marketing takes into account how each individual tool might help convert prospects into customers. A brand’s digital marketing strategy may include the usage of numerous platforms or the concentration of all of the company’s efforts on a single platform.
Inbound marketing is a concept that encompasses all aspects of a business. In the beginning, it considers the aim, then looks at the various tools to identify which would most successfully reach target clients, and then determines at what step of the sales funnel that should occur.
As a marketing professional, it is critical to remember that you do not have to choose between digital marketing and inbound marketing. Instead, you should consider combining the two. In fact, they are most effective when working together. Inbound marketing gives structure and purpose for effective digital marketing activities, ensuring that each digital marketing channel contributes to the achievement of a specific goal.
B2B digital marketing against B2C digital marketing
Companies engaged in B2B and B2C digital marketing might benefit from each other’s efforts, although best practises differ greatly across the two groups.
The decision-making processes of B2B clients are typically more time-consuming, resulting in longer sales funnels. Relationship-building techniques perform better for these customers, but B2C customers respond better to offers and communications that are only available for a short period of time.
Transactions in the business-to-business sector are typically founded on logic and evidence, which is what professional B2B digital marketers convey. B2C content is more likely to be emotional in nature, with the goal of making the buyer feel good about a certain purchase.
B2B decisions frequently necessitate the participation of more than one individual. The marketing materials that are most effective in influencing these decisions are those that can be shared and downloaded. Customers who buy directly from a company, on the other hand, want one-on-one interactions with the company.
There are, of course, exceptions to every rule in existence. B2C companies that sell high-ticket items such as automobiles or computers may choose to provide more instructive and serious content on their websites. Regardless of whether you’re in the B2B or B2C business, your strategy must always be tailored to your specific customer base.