Look, if you’re trying to grow a business in 2024 and you’re not doing digital marketing, you’re basically trying to sell lemonade in the Sahara. The customers are online, the money is online, and honestly, your competitors are already there.
But here’s the thing: “digital marketing” isn’t just one thing. It’s like saying “food”—yeah, technically accurate, but that could mean anything from a gas station hot dog to a Michelin-star meal. There are actually multiple types of digital marketing, each with its own strategies, tactics, and ideal use cases.
So let’s break down the main types of digital marketing, what they actually involve, when to use them, and real examples of what works (and what doesn’t). No fluff, no jargon overload—just the real deal.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Playing the Long Game
SEO is the art and science of getting your website to show up when people search for stuff on Google. And before you roll your eyes thinking this is boring—it’s actually one of the most powerful (and cost-effective) marketing channels out there.
How It Actually Works
Google uses over 200 ranking factors to decide which websites appear at the top of search results. The main categories are:
On-Page SEO: Optimizing your website content, titles, headers, images, and internal links. Basically making sure Google understands what your pages are about.
Off-Page SEO: Building backlinks from other reputable websites. Think of it as digital word-of-mouth—when other sites link to you, Google sees it as a vote of confidence.
Technical SEO: Site speed, mobile optimization, security, and site structure. The behind-the-scenes stuff that makes your website crawlable and fast.
Real-World Example
A small local bakery in Portland optimized their website for searches like “best sourdough bread Portland” and “artisan bakery near me.” They created blog content about their baking process, optimized their Google Business Profile, and got local food bloggers to link to them. Within six months, organic traffic increased 340%, and they started getting 15-20 online orders daily just from search traffic.
The Brutal Truth
Pros:
- Once you rank, traffic is essentially free
- Builds long-term sustainable growth
- High-intent traffic (people are actively searching for what you offer)
- Credibility boost (people trust organic results more than ads)
Cons:
- Takes 3-6 months minimum to see results (sometimes longer)
- Requires consistent effort and content creation
- Google algorithm updates can tank your rankings overnight
- Competitive keywords are hard to rank for without serious effort
When to use it: If you’re building a long-term business and have patience. Not if you need customers tomorrow.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC): Buying Your Way to the Top
PPC is paid advertising on search engines (Google Ads), social media (Meta Ads, TikTok Ads), and other platforms. You pay each time someone clicks your ad, hence “pay-per-click.”
The Main Players
Google Ads: Appear at the top of search results with a little “Sponsored” tag. You bid on keywords, and your ad shows when people search for them.
Microsoft Ads (Bing): Same concept, smaller audience, but often cheaper and less competitive.
Social Media Ads: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter/X—each platform has its own advertising system.
Display Ads: Banner ads across websites, usually managed through Google Display Network.
Real Scenario
An online course creator spent $2,000 on Google Ads targeting keywords like “learn digital marketing online” and “digital marketing course.” They generated 180 clicks with a 12% conversion rate, resulting in 22 course sales at $297 each. Total revenue: $6,534. ROI: 227%.
That same creator tried Facebook Ads with a $1,500 budget and got terrible results—only 4 sales. Why? Wrong platform for their audience. Their ideal customers were actively searching on Google, not scrolling Facebook.
The Numbers Game
According to various industry reports, the average cost-per-click across all industries on Google Ads is around $2-3, but this varies wildly. Legal and insurance keywords can cost $50+ per click, while some niche industries see CPCs under $1.
The average conversion rate for Google Ads across industries is about 3-5%. That means out of 100 clicks, 3-5 people take your desired action. If you’re below that, something’s off with your targeting, offer, or landing page.
Honest Assessment
Pros:
- Immediate traffic (launch today, get clicks today)
- Precise targeting based on keywords, demographics, interests
- Complete control over budget and bidding
- Detailed analytics on what’s working
Cons:
- Can get expensive fast, especially in competitive niches
- Traffic stops the moment you stop paying
- Requires continuous optimization to maintain profitability
- Learning curve is steep for beginners
When to use it: When you need fast results, have budget to test, and can afford customer acquisition costs. Great for product launches or time-sensitive promotions.
Content Marketing: Actually Providing Value
Content marketing means creating valuable, relevant content to attract and engage your target audience. This includes blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, ebooks—basically anything that educates, entertains, or solves problems.
Why It Works
Here’s the psychology: traditional advertising interrupts what people want to do. Content marketing IS what people want to do. You’re giving value first, building trust, and positioning yourself as an expert before asking for anything.
Types of Content That Actually Perform
Blog Posts/Articles: Still incredibly effective for SEO and establishing expertise. The key is depth and quality—500-word fluff pieces don’t cut it anymore.
Video Content: YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google. Video content has higher engagement rates than text across almost every platform.
Podcasts: Audio content consumption has exploded. Over 460 million people worldwide listen to podcasts regularly as of 2024.
Case Studies: Showing real results from real customers is marketing gold. People want proof, not promises.
Interactive Content: Quizzes, calculators, assessments—anything that requires participation gets significantly higher engagement.
Case Study That Proves It
HubSpot is the poster child for content marketing. They publish hundreds of educational blog posts, create free tools, offer certification courses, and provide massive value before ever asking you to buy their software. This strategy helped them grow from a startup to a company worth billions, with much of their growth driven by organic content discovery.
A smaller example: A freelance graphic designer started publishing detailed YouTube tutorials about design principles. No sales pitches, just pure educational content. After 18 months and 80 videos, she had 45,000 subscribers and was booking $8,000-15,000 monthly in client work—all from people who found her through her content.
The Reality Check
Pros:
- Builds genuine authority and trust
- Compounds over time (content keeps working for you)
- Supports SEO efforts naturally
- Lower cost than paid advertising long-term
- Attracts higher-quality leads who are already educated about what you do
Cons:
- Time-intensive to produce quality content
- Results take time (3-6 months minimum)
- Requires consistency—sporadic content doesn’t work
- Easy to do poorly (most content is mediocre and gets ignored)
When to use it: Always. Seriously, every business should have some form of content marketing. It’s the foundation that makes everything else work better.
Social Media Marketing: Where Your Audience Already Hangs Out
Social media marketing is using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, and Facebook to build your brand, engage with your audience, and drive business results.
Platform-Specific Strategies
Instagram: Visual storytelling, behind-the-scenes content, Reels for reach. Best for fashion, food, lifestyle, travel, and B2C brands.
TikTok: Short-form video, trending sounds, authentic and raw content. Absolutely crushing it for reaching Gen Z and younger millennials.
LinkedIn: B2B networking, thought leadership, professional content. If you’re selling to businesses or professionals, this is your playground.
Twitter/X: Real-time conversations, news, hot takes, and community building. Great for tech, media, and thought leaders.
Facebook: Older demographic, community groups, long-form content. Still massive for local businesses and certain niches.
What Actually Works (2024 Edition)
The algorithm on every platform rewards engagement and watch time. Here’s what that means practically:
For Instagram: Reels are getting 3-5x more reach than static posts. Carousels (swipeable posts) also perform well because they keep people engaged longer.
For TikTok: The first 3 seconds determine everything. Hook people immediately or they scroll. Authentic, unpolished content often outperforms overly-produced stuff.
For LinkedIn: Personal posts from founders/employees get 10x more engagement than company page posts. People connect with people, not brands.
Real Example
A sustainable clothing brand with 8,000 Instagram followers posted inconsistently and saw minimal engagement. They switched to a strategy of daily Reels showing their production process, styling tips, and customer testimonials. Within 4 months, they grew to 47,000 followers and saw a 220% increase in monthly sales, with 60% of new customers citing Instagram as how they discovered the brand.
Let’s Be Honest
Pros:
- Direct connection with your audience
- Humanizes your brand
- Free organic reach (though declining on most platforms)
- Builds community and loyalty
- Great for customer feedback and market research
Cons:
- Organic reach has declined significantly (algorithms favor paid content)
- Extremely time-consuming to do well
- Platform changes and algorithm updates can tank your reach overnight
- Different strategies needed for each platform
- Hard to directly measure ROI
When to use it: If your target audience is active on social platforms and you can commit to consistent, quality content. Not recommended as your only marketing channel—it’s better as a supporting strategy.
Email Marketing: The OG That Still Crushes
Email marketing might sound old-school, but it’s still one of the highest-ROI marketing channels. For every $1 spent on email marketing, the average return is $36-42, depending on which study you reference.
Why Email Still Works
You own your email list. Instagram could ban your account tomorrow (it happens), Google could change its algorithm, TikTok could be banned—but your email list? That’s yours. It’s also where purchase intent is highest. People check email to take action, not just to scroll mindlessly.
Types of Email Campaigns
Welcome Series: Automated emails sent when someone subscribes. These have the highest open rates (often 50-60%) because people are most engaged right after signing up.
Newsletter: Regular emails providing value, updates, and staying top-of-mind. The key is consistency and actually being useful.
Promotional: Sale announcements, new product launches, special offers. Use sparingly—nobody wants a constant sales pitch.
Abandoned Cart: Automated emails reminding people they left items in their cart. These recover 5-15% of abandoned carts on average.
Re-engagement: Targeting subscribers who haven’t opened or clicked in a while to win them back or clean your list.
Real Numbers
An online fitness coach built an email list of 12,000 subscribers over two years through lead magnets (free workout plans). She sends 2-3 emails weekly with tips, stories, and occasional program promotions. Her email marketing generates 40% of her revenue—about $180,000 annually—with minimal additional cost beyond her email platform ($100/month).
Compare that to her Instagram following of 25,000, which drives about 15% of revenue despite requiring significantly more daily effort.
The Breakdown
Pros:
- Highest ROI of any digital marketing channel
- You own the audience (not dependent on platforms)
- Direct line of communication
- Easy to personalize and segment
- Measurable results (open rates, click rates, conversions)
Cons:
- Building a quality list takes time
- Deliverability issues (spam filters are aggressive)
- Requires providing consistent value or people unsubscribe
- Compliance regulations (GDPR, CAN-SPAM) add complexity
When to use it: Always, from day one. Start building your email list immediately and never stop.
Influencer Marketing: Leveraging Someone Else’s Audience
Influencer marketing is partnering with people who have established audiences to promote your products or services. This ranges from mega-celebrities with millions of followers to micro-influencers with 5,000-50,000 highly engaged followers.
The Shift in Strategy
Here’s what changed: brands used to chase follower count. Now, smart marketers chase engagement rate and audience alignment. A micro-influencer with 10,000 engaged followers often delivers better results than a celebrity with 1 million disengaged followers.
Types of Influencer Partnerships
Sponsored Posts: Pay influencer to create content featuring your product.
Affiliate Arrangements: Influencer gets commission on sales they drive (often 10-30%).
Product Gifting: Send free products in exchange for potential coverage (no guarantee).
Brand Ambassadorships: Long-term partnerships where influencer becomes the face of your brand.
Real-World Success
A small skincare startup with a $5,000 marketing budget partnered with 10 micro-influencers (10k-30k followers each) in the beauty niche. Each influencer received free products and $300 to create honest reviews. The campaign generated 280,000 impressions, 4,800 website visits, and 340 sales worth $12,400 in revenue. ROI: 148%.
That same brand approached two macro-influencers (500k+ followers) and spent their entire budget on two posts. Result? Tons of impressions but only 45 sales. Why? Lower engagement rates and less targeted audiences.
Important Truth
Fake followers and engagement are rampant. Before partnering with any influencer, check their engagement rate (likes + comments ÷ followers x 100). Anything below 2% is suspicious. Look at comment quality—are they real conversations or just fire emojis?
The Analysis
Pros:
- Access to established, targeted audiences
- Builds social proof and credibility
- Can generate quick results if done right
- Works well for product-based businesses
- Good for brand awareness
Cons:
- Expensive (quality influencers charge premium rates)
- Hard to measure ROI accurately
- Authenticity issues (audiences are getting savvier about sponsored content)
- Risk if influencer gets involved in controversy
- Results vary wildly based on influencer selection
When to use it: When you have budget, a visually appealing product, and have identified influencers whose audience perfectly matches your target market.
Affiliate Marketing: Performance-Based Sales
Affiliate marketing is recruiting others to promote your products in exchange for a commission on sales they generate. It’s essentially creating an army of salespeople who only get paid when they deliver results.
How It Works
You set up an affiliate program (manually or through platforms like ShareASale, Impact, or PartnerStack), set commission rates (typically 10-30% for digital products, 5-10% for physical products), and recruit affiliates. They promote your product using unique tracking links, and when someone buys through their link, they earn commission.
Who Makes Good Affiliates
Content Creators: Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters who can create review content.
Existing Customers: People who already love your product and naturally recommend it.
Email List Owners: People with engaged email audiences in your niche.
Complementary Businesses: Non-competing businesses that serve the same audience.
Success Story
A SaaS company offering project management software launched an affiliate program offering 30% recurring commission (affiliates earn monthly as long as referred customers stay subscribed). They recruited 200 affiliates in year one, mostly B2B content creators and consultants. These affiliates generated 1,200 customers worth $580,000 in annual recurring revenue. After paying $174,000 in affiliate commissions, they still netted $406,000 in new revenue with minimal marketing effort.
The Real Deal
Pros:
- Performance-based (only pay for results)
- Scales without proportional increase in effort
- Affiliates bring their own audiences and credibility
- Lower risk than traditional advertising
- Can become passive revenue driver
Cons:
- Takes time to recruit quality affiliates
- Some affiliates use questionable tactics (spam, false claims)
- Commission costs eat into profit margins
- Requires management and affiliate support
- Not all products work well for affiliate marketing
When to use it: Best for digital products, courses, SaaS, or high-margin physical products. Not ideal for low-margin products where commission would make it unprofitable.
Video Marketing: The Engagement King
Video marketing is creating video content to promote your brand, products, or services. This includes everything from YouTube videos to Instagram Reels to TikToks to video ads.
Why Video Dominates
Human brains process visual information 60,000 times faster than text. Video combines visuals, audio, and storytelling in a way that’s more engaging and memorable than any other format. According to various studies, people retain about 95% of a message when they watch it in video compared to 10% when reading text.
Types of Video Content
Educational/How-To: Teaching people how to do something related to your niche. This builds authority and trust.
Product Demos: Showing your product in action. Conversion rates can increase 80%+ when product pages include video.
Behind-the-Scenes: Humanizing your brand by showing the people, process, and story behind what you do.
Customer Testimonials: Real customers sharing their experiences. More credible than any sales pitch.
Short-Form Content: TikToks, Reels, YouTube Shorts—quick, engaging videos optimized for mobile viewing.
What’s Working Now
A digital marketing agency started posting 60-second educational videos on Instagram Reels and TikTok—topics like “3 mistakes killing your Facebook ads” and “How we grew a client’s email list by 400%.” No fancy production, just phone camera and good lighting. They posted daily for 6 months, gained 89,000 followers across both platforms, and generated 150+ qualified leads worth $420,000 in closed business.
Compare that to their blog, which they’d been running for 3 years with minimal results. Video changed everything.
Straight Talk
Pros:
- Highest engagement rates across platforms
- Better retention and recall than text
- Builds stronger emotional connections
- Algorithms favor video content (especially short-form)
- Can repurpose video into multiple formats
Cons:
- More time-intensive to produce than text
- Requires some level of comfort on camera (or hiring talent)
- Editing can be time-consuming without practice
- Quality matters—poorly produced video hurts more than helps
- Competitive space (everyone’s doing video now)
When to use it: If you can commit to consistent production and your target audience consumes video content (spoiler: most audiences do). Essential for e-commerce, personal brands, and B2C businesses.
Marketing Automation: Working While You Sleep
Marketing automation uses software to automate repetitive marketing tasks—email sequences, social media posting, lead nurturing, customer segmentation, and more.
Why It Matters
You can’t scale personalized marketing without automation. It’s physically impossible to manually send the right message to the right person at the right time when you have thousands of customers. Automation makes personalization at scale possible.
Common Automation Use Cases
Email Drip Campaigns: Automated series of emails triggered by specific actions (signing up, making a purchase, abandoning cart).
Lead Scoring: Automatically rating leads based on behavior and demographics to identify hot prospects.
Personalized Recommendations: Showing different content or products based on user behavior.
Social Media Scheduling: Batching and scheduling posts in advance.
CRM Updates: Automatically updating customer records based on interactions.
Real Implementation
An online course platform implemented marketing automation with these workflows:
- New subscribers receive a 5-email welcome series over 10 days introducing the brand and offering a discount
- Course purchasers get automated onboarding emails and content delivery
- Inactive students (haven’t logged in for 14 days) receive re-engagement emails
- People who view the sales page but don’t buy get remarketing emails
Result: 23% increase in course completion rates, 31% increase in repeat purchases, and the founder estimates automation saves 15-20 hours weekly of manual work.
The Truth
Pros:
- Saves massive amounts of time once set up
- Ensures consistent communication
- Enables personalization at scale
- Never misses a follow-up
- Provides detailed tracking and analytics
Cons:
- Initial setup is time-intensive
- Requires strategy (automating bad marketing just scales bad results)
- Can feel impersonal if not done thoughtfully
- Software costs add up
- Requires maintenance and optimization
When to use it: As soon as you have enough leads/customers that manual processes become unsustainable. For most businesses, that’s around 500+ contacts.
Which Type Should You Focus On?
Here’s the harsh reality: you can’t do everything well, especially starting out. Trying to master all nine types of digital marketing simultaneously is a recipe for mediocre results across the board.
If you’re just starting: Pick 1-2 channels max. Focus on content marketing + one traffic channel (SEO, paid ads, or social media). Master those before expanding.
If you have limited budget: Focus on SEO, content marketing, and email marketing. These take time but have the best long-term ROI without requiring ongoing ad spend.
If you need quick results: PPC and influencer marketing can drive immediate traffic. Just be ready to pay for it.
If you’re B2B: LinkedIn + content marketing + email marketing. This combo is responsible for more B2B deals than any other.
If you’re B2C/e-commerce: Instagram/TikTok + email marketing + paid ads. This combination works exceptionally well for visual, product-based businesses.
The Bottom Line
Digital marketing isn’t one strategy—it’s a toolkit with different tools for different jobs. The key is understanding what each type does best, honestly assessing your resources (time, money, skills), and strategically choosing which channels align with your business goals and target audience.
Don’t chase shiny objects. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick your channels, commit to doing them well, measure results ruthlessly, and double down on what works.
And remember: every successful business you admire started with one or two marketing channels, mastered them, then expanded. Start small, win big.
