Types of Online Marketing

Businesses big and small are realizing how important it is to have a digital presence. Simply put, if you’re not online, you’re losing customers. Understanding the different types of online marketing and how they can help you achieve your business goals is key to developing an effective online marketing strategy for your business. Below are some of the most common types of online marketing, with a brief explanation of how they work.

1. SEM or Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing is the process of gaining traffic and visibility from search engines through both paid and unpaid efforts. SEM may use search engine optimization (SEO), which adjusts or rewrites website content, to improve the site’s ranking in search engine results pages. Alternatively, SEM may use pay per click (PPC) listings from search engines, or run paid ads on search engines.

2. PPC or Pay-Per-Click

Pay-per-click is commonly associated with first-tier search engines (such as Google AdWords and Microsoft Bing Ads). With search engines, advertisers typically bid on keyword phrases relevant to their target market. In contrast, content sites commonly charge a fixed price per click rather than use a bidding system. PPC “display” advertisements, also known as “banner” ads, are shown on web sites with related content that have agreed to show ads and are typically not pay-per-click advertising. Social networks such as Facebook and

3. SEO or Search Engine Optimization

SEO is the practice of optimizing websites to make them reach a high position in Google’s – or another search engine’s – search results. At Yoast, we believe that holistic SEO is the best way to rank your website because you focus on making every aspect of your site awesome. Don’t use any black-hat SEO tricks, because eventually, this will have negative consequences for your rankings. Instead, practice sustainable SEO, with your user in mind, and you will benefit in the long run.

4. Social Media

Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service. Although the terms e-marketing and digital marketing are still dominant in academia, social media marketing is becoming more popular for both practitioners and researchers. Most social media platforms have built-in data analytics tools, which enable companies to track the progress, success, and engagement of ad campaigns. Companies address a range of stakeholders through social media marketing, including current and potential customers, current and potential employees, journalists, bloggers, and the general public. On a strategic level, social media marketing includes the management of a marketing campaign, governance, setting the scope (e.g. more active or passive use) and the establishment of a firm’s desired social media “culture” and “tone.”

5. Content Marketing

Content marketing is the single most important digital marketing strategy and the best way to attract, nurture, and engage your audience. If you think about it, this makes perfect sense. At the core of every purchase decision is a need or problem that needs to be solved. Your content should address these issues as well as other questions your target audience may have, which will help move them through the buyer’s journey and eventually turn them into customers.

The success of your content marketing strategy depends on how effectively you can identify and target your ideal customers, create valuable content that will resonate with them, and build strong relationships with your prospects and customers.

Conclusion

Taking use of different types of online marketing is a necessity to sell products and services. It is carried out in many different forms including but not restricted to email marketing, internet advertising, search engine optimisation, social media marketing and so on. Each of these types of online marketing serves a different purpose for businesses. Online Marketing is capable of reaching more people as compared to traditional means like print mostly because it has greater reach and allows businesses to use networks like Facebook to reach their target audience.