You are probably familiar with the term “targeted online marketing”, which describes using digital tools to send specific messages to certain groups of people. These tools range from email marketing to paid social media posts and programmatic display ads.

While traditional online marketing reaches every individual on the internet, targeted online marketing directly targets people based on a number of factors, such as geographical location, gender, income, and more.

As the name suggests, targeted online marketing involves using digital tools to target individuals and deliver relevant messages. With the evolution of online marketing tools, businesses can now set and monitor email campaigns, run social media campaigns, and analyze marketing performance all from one place. This makes it much easier for businesses of all sizes to reach their target audience, without needing several different accounts or teams of marketers.

In this article, we will discuss the various forms of targeted online marketing, including email marketing, social media marketing, and display advertising. We will cover the benefits and tools of each type of marketing, as well as how to get started.

Email Marketing

Just like traditional snail mail, email marketing is one of the best-known and most-used forms of targeted online marketing. When someone receives an email that is relevant to their interests, hobbies, passions, or social causes, the opportunity to engage with the brand or organization who sent the email presents itself.

However, unlike snail mail, emails can be sent virtually instantaneously and to a virtually unlimited audience. The potential to connect with a large number of people is unparalleled if email marketing is used correctly.

The best thing about email marketing is that it is extremely easy to set up and allows for any amount of customization. Most email marketing platforms make it easy to segment your audience based on interest, so creating a relevant email list is a breeze. Once you have your email list, you can send out automated emails to stimulate engagement.

The downside to email marketing is that it is one of the most-targeted forms of marketing, which means that your average person might not have the same interest in your product or service as someone who has already signed up for your list. This could mean that a lot of your email traffic is going to waste.

Social Media Marketing

If you have a business page on social media, then you are considered to be doing social media marketing. When someone sees your business’ social media pages, they will see your logo, website, and any other identifying marks that you might have on social media.

If someone decides to click on your logo or visit your website, then they have already shown an interest in your product or service. This means that someone else, potentially, could be interested in what you have to say. With that in mind, the next step is to actually engage with these people on social media.

The challenge with social media marketing is that it is hard to get people to actually take the time to engage with you. When someone sees your social media posts, they will most likely be scrolling through their Instagram or Facebook feed looking for interesting content. So, in order to get their attention, you need to have a compelling reason for them to stop what they are doing and pay attention to your content.

The answer is simple: engage with your audience on social media through informative, quality content that is relevant to your industry. Additionally, having a strong social media following across platforms will also help raise your digital profile, getting you closer to more qualified leads.

Display Advertising

Finally, we have display advertising. Just as with social media marketing, display advertising is a type of online marketing where your ads appear on other websites. The main difference is that your ads will appear alongside content, such as articles, images, or videos. The goal of display advertising is to get your audience to click on your ads, which then redirects them to another website or app where they can make a purchase.

In order to succeed in display advertising, you need to have a compelling offer that will force people to click on your ads. This could be a free shipping offer for a product that you sell, or a discount for registering for a newsletter or entering a contest.

However, display advertising is one of the least-targeted forms of marketing, which means that a lot of your ad spend will be wasted if your target audience does not click on your ads. In order to increase the odds of a click, display advertisers will use various tactics, such as pop-ups, animated banners, and video interstitials.

Just like with the other forms of targeted online marketing, the opportunity to target your audience and engage with them on a personal level is incredibly powerful. With the right tools and a bit of know-how, you will be able to reach beyond your customer base and connect with people who have an interest in what you have to say.