Okay so, if you’ve been on the internet at all (which obv you have), you’ve probably heard the term “digital marketing” like a million times. It’s everywhere. Instagram ads, YouTube videos, emails from random brands, influencers selling skincare, websites popping up on Google – that’s all part of digital marketing in some way.
But let’s be honest, lots of people still don’t really know what even is digital marketing, how it works, or like why it’s even important. So in this article, I’m gonna try to explain it in a simple and chill way, not those boring textbook definitions that make you fall asleep.
So… What Exactly Is Digital Marketing?
Okay so basically, digital marketing just means promoting stuff (like products or services) using the internet or any digital devices. That’s it. Simple. It’s marketing, but online.
Instead of putting ads in newspaper or hoardings or radio (which still exist), brands now use Google, Facebook, Instagram, email, websites, etc to reach their audience. Why? Because everyone’s on their phone or laptop anyway lol.
If you’re scrolling Instagram and see an ad for pizza right when you’re hungry — yup, that’s digital marketing at work.
Why Digital Marketing is Important (Like Seriously)
Okay now you might be thinking, “Why is everyone going crazy over digital marketing? What’s the big deal?” Well, here’s why:
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It’s cheaper than traditional advertising. Like a full page newspaper ad costs a bomb. But a Facebook ad can be run for ₹100.
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Targeting is CRAZY accurate. Like, you can literally show your ad to just 23-year-old girls in Mumbai who like K-pop and wear glasses.
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Everyone’s online, so brands need to be too.
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You can track everything – how many people clicked, watched, bought, shared, etc. No guessing.
So yeah, it’s kinda powerful.
Main Types of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing isn’t just one thing, it’s a bunch of different things all working together (or sometimes separate too). Here’s the main types:
1. Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Probably the most visible one. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X?), LinkedIn, even Snapchat and Pinterest. Brands post content, run ads, collab with influencers, etc to promote their stuff.
If you ever bought something cuz an influencer posted it with “#ad” – that’s SMM at work.
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Ever searched something on Google and clicked the first link? That link didn’t just randomly get there – someone worked on its SEO.
SEO means optimising your website so it shows up higher in Google search results. It’s slow but free (ish) and super effective long term.
3. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
This is similar to SEO but faster – here you pay Google to show your website at top of search. These are the ones marked “Sponsored” or “Ad” at the top.
So SEO is free but slow. SEM is fast but costs money.
4. Content Marketing
Basically, creating useful or fun content that people enjoy and then, hopefully, trust your brand more. Blog posts, videos, ebooks, memes (yes even memes), guides, etc.
You’re reading this article? Boom. Content marketing.
5. Email Marketing
Emails from brands like “50% OFF only today!!” – that’s email marketing. Still works, btw. If done right.
Good emails can remind people to buy, or sign up, or come back to website. Bad ones go to spam.
6. Affiliate Marketing
When someone promotes your product on their website or social media and gets paid if a sale happens – that’s affiliate. Great for passive income, both for brands and influencers.
Example: a beauty blogger posts “Top 5 lipsticks under ₹500” and includes Amazon links. If you click and buy, she gets commission.
7. Influencer Marketing
This one exploded recently. Brands pay influencers (big or small) to promote their stuff. If done right, it looks natural and people trust it. But if it’s too fake, people unfollow or ignore.
Tools Used in Digital Marketing (some of them anyway)
You can’t just throw stuff online and hope for best. Tools help you plan, post, track, fix and grow.
Some popular ones:
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Google Analytics – track website visitors
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Facebook Ads Manager – run ads on Insta & FB
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Canva – make designs without being a designer lol
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Hootsuite / Buffer – schedule social media posts
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Mailchimp / ConvertKit – send bulk emails
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SEMRush / Ahrefs – SEO tools (but expensive tbh)
There’s sooo many tools tho. Use what works for you.
Digital Marketing for Small Businesses
If you have a small business or even just starting out, digital marketing can help a LOT. Like, you don’t need a big budget.
You can literally:
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Make a free Instagram page
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Post photos of your product
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Share stories, reels
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Ask friends to share
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Boost a post for ₹200
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Setup a WhatsApp business account
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List on Google My Business
And boom. You’re reaching new people without even leaving home.
Common Mistakes People Make in Digital Marketing
Not everything works. People mess up too. Here’s what NOT to do:
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Posting only “Buy Now!” every day. No one likes spam.
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Ignoring comments or DMs. Be social on social media.
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No strategy. Just posting random stuff. Doesn’t work long-term.
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Trying to be everywhere. Pick 2-3 channels and do them well.
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Copy-pasting others. Be original, or you’ll get ignored.
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No patience. Digital marketing takes time. Not magic.
Digital Marketing Careers – Yes, It’s a Real Job
So many ppl think it’s just “posting on Instagram.” Nope.
Digital marketing is a FULL career now. You can be:
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Social Media Manager
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SEO Expert
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PPC Specialist
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Content Writer
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Influencer Manager
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Email Marketer
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Digital Strategist
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Even Meme Creator (yep, it’s real lol)
And you don’t always need a degree. If you’re good at it, you’ll get work. There’s freelancing too.
Final Thoughts (and a Bit of Advice)
So yeah, digital marketing is kind of a big deal now. Whether you’re a business owner, a student, a content creator, or just curious—it’s worth learning.
You don’t need to learn everything at once. Start with one thing. Maybe try making reels. Or writing blog posts. Or running a small ad. And just keep learning.
It changes FAST though, so stay updated. What worked last year may not work now. Algorithms change, trends change, people get bored. But the basics stay the same:
Know your audience
Give value
Be consistent
Track results
Don’t be boring
Hope this article helped. If you made it till here… wow. You must really like reading.
Now go market something!