The meaning of ‘Digital Marketing’ can be a little bit confusing when you’re not really familiar with the acronym. However, don’t be fooled, Digital Marketing is an umbrella term that incorporates many different techniques and platforms used for marketing and advertising on the internet. Typically, Digital Marketing is used in conjuction with other marketing and advertising channels like search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), and email marketing.

What is SEO?

If you’ve ever shopped online, you may have noticed that certain products appear on the first page of your search results, frequently appearing above more relevant results. That’s because these products have been ‘optimized’ for search engines such as Google, Bing, and others.

SEO is an umbrella term that stands for Search Engine Optimization, and it’s the practice of manipulating the content of a website so that it appears higher in search engine rankings. Generally speaking, SEO focuses on creating content that is relevant, interesting, and useful to your target audience. When performed effectively, SEO can boost your conversions and boost your revenue.

Why is SEO important?

Because Google, Bing, and other search engines use algorithms that evaluate the relevance of web pages in the ‘search’ results, creating a more useful experience for users. Essentially, because your SEO is done correctly, the user will have a pleasant experience when searching for products or services.

SEO also helps your company to appear more professional in the eyes of potential customers. When people see that your company has invested in SEO, they may assume that you’re a reputable business that puts a high priority on customer service and market share. Essentially, if you want to appear more ‘natural’ in search results, you need to invest in SEO.

What is SEM?

SEM is an umbrella term that stands for Search Engine Marketing. Search Engine Marketing is the process of gaining exposure and attracting potential customers to your product through paid advertisement on search engines like Google and Bing. In other words, SEM is a form of digital marketing that pays you to display your ads on search engines.

SEM is a key element of a digital marketing strategy. When executed correctly, SEM can help your company to appear more authoritative to potential customers, establish your brand as a go-to source for information, and generate leads and conversions for your product.

SEM is frequently used in conjunction with SEO and other channels like direct mail and email marketing. Essentially, you may want to use SEM to gain more digital marketing exposure, generate more leads, and eventually turn those leads into paying customers.

Why is SEM important?

Similar to SEO, SEM is part of a digital marketing strategy and can be used to increase your company’s exposure, establish your brand, and generate leads and conversions for your product.

However, in contrast to SEO, SEM focuses on paid advertising and gaining direct contact with potential customers through paid advertisement. This may be difficult to do if you lack the resources or the budget to hire professional lobbyists, public relations firms, or marketing agencies. In these cases, SEM can be a useful tool for gaining more digital marketing exposure and eventually converting those leads into paying customers.

SEM is often used in conjunction with other marketing channels like email marketing and direct mail to generate more leads and eventually turn those leads into paying customers. Essentially, if you want to gain more exposure, establish your brand as a safe source for information, and ultimately generate sales, you may want to consider using SEM.

What is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is a form of digital marketing that focuses on getting messages to your customers via email. Whether you own a business or work for a company, you may want to consider using email marketing to generate leads, increase growth, and eventually turn those leads into paying customers. To put it simply, email marketing is the practice of getting messages to your customers via email.

What is Direct Mail?

Direct mail is a form of marketing that utilizes postal services to send physical letters to potential customers. The purpose of a direct mail campaign is to provide detailed information on your product or service, generate interest, and eventually turn that interest into sales. Essentially, direct mail is the practice of sending physical letters to consumers.

There are numerous pitfalls that you need to avoid when using direct mail. One of the biggest issues is the saturation of spam filters that make it difficult for legitimate marketers to reach customers via this channel. As a result, you may want to consider using digital marketing, Facebook ads, or Instagram stories to gain more traction.

Key Takeaways

The important things to recognize about online marketing are: