What is digital marketing
Digital marketing uses online channels — websites, mobile apps, search engines, social networks, email, text messages and other internet-based platforms — to promote and sell goods or services. It complements traditional media (print, TV, radio) by enabling direct interaction with audiences and the measurement of user behaviour. The approach grew as the internet became widespread in the 1990s and continues to change rapidly as new platforms and devices appear.
Key terms (defined on first use)
– PPC (pay‑per‑click): paid ads where the advertiser pays for each click.
– SEO (search engine optimization): techniques to improve organic visibility in search engines.
– KPI (key performance indicator): a measurable value used to evaluate marketing success.
– Conversion: a desired action by a user (e.g., purchase, sign‑up).
– CPA (cost per acquisition): cost to acquire one customer or lead.
– AOV (average order value): average revenue per purchase.
Major digital marketing channels (what they do)
– Website marketing: a company’s site serves as the hub for information, conversions and brand presentation. Effective sites are fast, mobile‑friendly and easy to navigate.
– Pay‑Per‑Click (PPC) advertising: paid placements on search engines and social platforms (e.g., Google, Bing, Facebook) that target users by keywords, demographics, interests or location.
– Content marketing: using articles, guides, visuals or other content to attract audiences; content is often distributed via the website, social media, email or paid ads.
– Email marketing: sending promotional or transactional messages to a permissioned list to nurture leads and convert customers.
– Social media marketing: building brand awareness, trust and — when appropriate — leads and sales via platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn.
– Affiliate marketing: partners or influencers promote a product and earn a commission on sales or leads they drive.
– Video marketing: short and long‑form video distributed on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and platform video players to inform, review or entertain.
– Text messaging (SMS): short alerts used to announce promotions, collect donations, or enable quick payments.
How the channels work together
Digital programs are usually multi‑channel: a blog post (content) can be promoted via social media and email, optimized for search (SEO), and amplified with PPC. The company website often receives traffic from all of these sources and acts as the conversion point.
Common KPIs (examples)
– Traffic (sessions, users) — how many people visit your site or content.
– Click‑through rate (CTR) — percent of people who click an ad or link.
– Conversion rate — percent of visitors who complete a desired action.
– Cost per acquisition (CPA) — marketing spend divided by number of conversions.
– Return on ad spend (ROAS) or ROI — revenue generated versus cost.
– Engagement metrics — likes, shares, time on page, video views.
Practical checklist to start a digital campaign
1. Define the objective (awareness, lead, sale).
2. Identify the target audience (demographics, interests, location).
3. Choose
3. Choose channels and placements. Match channels to objective and audience: search ads for intent (people actively looking), social ads for targeting by interest/demographics, display for reach/awareness, email for retention/nurturing, content/SEO for long‑term inbound traffic, and affiliate/influencer for performance-based scale. For each channel pick placements (feed, stories, search network, specific publishers) that fit the creative format.
4. Set budget, bidding, and targets. Decide total and pacing (daily vs. campaign lifetime). Choose a bidding strategy that aligns with your objective (e.g., maximize clicks, target CPA — cost per acquisition, target ROAS — return on ad spend). Translate business goals into measurable targets: CPA target, conversion rate target, and expected ROAS. Example: if target CPA = $50 and you want 40 conversions, budget = 40 × $50 = $2,000.
5. Build the offer and creatives. Create a clear value proposition and single primary call to action (CTA). Design ads and a dedicated landing page (a landing page is a standalone web page created specifically to receive and convert campaign visitors). Ensure messaging and visuals match end‑to‑end from ad to landing page to reduce drop‑off.
6. Implement tracking and analytics. Install platform tags/pixels (small snippets that signal conversions to ad platforms). Use UTM parameters (URL tags that identify traffic source, medium, campaign) for analytics. Set conversion events in your analytics tool (e.g., form submit, purchase) and test them before launch.
7. Launch and monitor early performance. Allow an initial learning window (often 3–14 days depending on budget and platform). Monitor core KPIs: impressions, CTR (click‑through rate), CPC (cost per click), conversion rate, CPA, and ROAS. Check data quality (are conversions firing?) and pause any creative or placement with obvious tracking or policy issues.
8. Test methodically. Use A/B testing (A/B testing means comparing two versions of an element to see which performs better) to isolate variables: headlines, CTAs, images, page layout, audience segments, and bid strategies. Change one variable at a time, run until results are statistically meaningful, then adopt winners.
9. Optimize and iterate. Shift budget to higher‑performing audiences and creatives. Improve landing page conversion rate with faster load times, clearer CTAs, and social proof. If CPA is above target, try lowering bids or tightening targeting; if CPA is well below target and volume is constrained, scale placements or increase bids.
10. Scale or stop. Use objective criteria to scale (e.g., consistent CPA below target for X days, stable conversion rate, sufficient sample size). Conversely, set automatic stop rules: CPA exceeds threshold, conversion rate collapses, or ROAS drops below acceptable margin.
11. Conduct a post‑campaign review. Compute actual CPA and ROAS versus targets, document top performing creatives and audiences, list technical issues encountered, and capture learnings for the next campaign. Archive winning assets and update audience personas.
Worked numeric example (simple planning):
– Objective: 100 leads. Target CPA: $40 → required budget = 100 × $40 = $4,000.
– Assume landing page conversion rate (visitors → leads) = 5% (0.05).
– Visitors needed = 100 / 0.05 = 2,000 visits.
– Assume ad CTR = 2% (0.02).
– Impressions needed = 2,000 / 0.02 = 100,000 impressions.
– Assume average CPC = $1.00.
– Click cost = 2,000 × $1.00 = $2,000 (leaving budget buffer for testing, creative production, or higher CPC environments).
Interpretation: if CPCs rise or conversion rate drops, recalc budget or optimize landing page to stay on target.
Quick checklist before launch
– Objective and target metric defined (e.g., leads, sales, CPA).
– Audience segments documented.
– Creative set (ad variants + preview of landing page).
– Tracking in place: pixels + UTM tags + verified conversion events.
– Budget, bid strategy, and pacing set.
– Success and stop criteria defined (time window + metric thresholds).
– Reporting cadence established (daily/weekly + owner).
Notes and assumptions
– Conversion rates, CPC, and CTR vary widely by industry, channel, and creative. Use the worked example for planning only; replace assumptions with real or platform benchmark data.
– Statistical significance for tests depends on sample size and baseline variance; small campaigns may need longer windows.
Educational disclaimer
This information is educational and not personalized marketing or financial advice. For campaign‑specific decisions, consult a qualified digital marketing professional or platform representative.
Sources
– Investopedia — Digital Marketing (overview and common terms). https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/digital-marketing.asp
– Google Ads Help — About bidding strategies. https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2979071
– HubSpot — Landing pages and conversion rate optimization guidance. https://www.hubspot.com/resources/landing-pages
– Facebook Business — Ads Guide and best practices. https://www.facebook.com/business/ads