I know what you’re thinking: digital marketing is a scary world, especially when you’re new to it.

Yeah, it can be daunting trying to figure out the digital marketing landscape, where to start, and what tools to use (or avoid).

So how can you overcome your fear and be the best person you can be when it comes to online marketing?

Here’s a simple guide to help get you started.

Get To Know The Terminology

You’ll encounter a lot of unfamiliar terms and jargon when getting into digital marketing, so it’s important to understand what they mean. Here’s a glossary of important terms you should know; feel free to ask us if you don’t know what any of these mean:

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Since the inception of search engines like Google, SEM has been around to help businesses gain visibility in search results. Now, SEM encompasses a variety of online marketing activities including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and paid search. Regardless of the size of your business, you’ll probably be using some form of SEM to promote your products or services online.

SEM is important to understand because Google, Bing, and other search engines promote businesses through organic (non-paid) results, and you should be promoting your business organically as well.

SEM is also important to understand for the following reason: Google, Bing, and other search engines prefer businesses they trust, so if you want to gain favor with Google and other search engines, then you’ll want to align yourself with known brands and businesses that are already trusted by the search engines.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of optimizing your website or blog for maximum effectiveness in organic (non-paid) searches on search engines like Google.

There are several strategies you can use to improve your organic search rankings, but the simplest and most effective one is to continually improve the quality of your content. When Google detects that you’re producing high-quality content consistently, it will recognize your site or blog as being authoritative and likely to be valued by consumers, resulting in higher search rankings.

You should always be thinking about SEO when trying to improve the visibility of your website or blog. You can use free tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Analytics to easily find the keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for.

Content Marketing

Once you have a decent quantity of content you’re happy to share, you can start thinking about content marketing. Essentially, content marketing is using content to attract, engage, and convert potential customers into paying customers.

Since content marketing is fairly new, many businesses have jumped on the opportunity to gain new customers without necessarily having to spend large amounts of money on expensive advertising campaigns. Thanks to social media platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn, as well as email marketing, content marketing has become a viable (and free!) alternative.

You may wonder if content marketing is a form of organic marketing or digital marketing; it is not. Organic marketing is the process of gaining new customers without paying for each individual action (i.e. click, view, or call), while content marketing is a focused approach to attracting potential customers through the creation and distribution of valuable content.

Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising

Last but not least, we have pay per click (PPC) advertising. Similar to traditional advertising, PPC advertising involves paying a service provider per click on a hyperlink or ad on your behalf. With PPC, you’re essentially paying for the results you get. The great thing about PPC advertising is that you’re not committed to a long-term contract and you can get results quickly.

PPC is a popular choice for small businesses looking for short-term gains, as the pay-per-click model allows them to get results without having to commit to costly advertising campaigns. Just make sure you keep your eyes open for any fraudulent activity, as there are plenty of schemers out there who will try to trick you into paying for clicks you don’t want to see.

Now that you’re equipped with the basics, it’s time to get to work. Don’t be afraid to try new things, but do your research before committing to any major changes. With a little bit of planning and research, you’ll be able to overcome your fear and get the most from your online marketing efforts. Good luck out there.