Most marketers have heard of the terms, ‘digital marketing’ versus ‘social media marketing’. Today, these phrases are often used interchangeably to mean the same thing. You’ve probably heard laymen use them in that way too many times. It’s not even surprising, given how popular social media platforms have become now with over 3 billion users.
In reality, the two terms are different, and most companies are engaged in digital marketing in some way or another without even realizing it. Still, many companies only consider social media marketing as their digital marketing strategy.
A marketer needs to understand the difference in digital marketing versus social media marketing so that they can utilize the right channels to get maximum benefits from their marketing efforts and spending. Read onwards to learn more.
What is Digital marketing?
Digital marketing refers to the 360° use of digital technologies to promote and sell products. Digital technology includes the internet as well as offline technologies like TV, radio, and mobile communications (SMS). Yes, that’s right! Even though the older technology may be counted as traditional media, it still falls under the umbrella of digital technology.
So we can say that digital marketing has been around long before the internet. It was just using an older technology. Since the internet dominates the digital landscape now in terms of both audience and reach, modern digital marketers tend to focus on internet-based marketing techniques. Like traditional marketing media, digital marketing has certain goals. These are:
- To create brand awareness
- To increase sales and drive business growth
- To increase the way potential customers reach you
- To promote and sell products and services through online channels
Read more: How Voice Search Marketing Will Change the Digital Marketing Landscape
What is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing is the use of social media sites to promote your brand or product. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn provide businesses a way to easily reach millions of internet users. Today, these websites have gathered a large audience, turning into large advertising platforms with options to send messages and ads to targeted users and groups.
Social media marketing has objectives similar to those of digital marketing, but the target audience is restricted to the type of channel that you use. We will cover these later in the article.
Digital Marketing versus Social Media Marketing: What’s the difference?
As you can understand by now, social media marketing is a subset of digital marketing. When devising a digital marketing strategy, you need to include more than just social media marketing campaigns. And if you’re only working on social media campaigns, that’s not a complete digital marketing strategy.
There are some other things you need to keep in mind in understanding the social media marketing vs. digital marketing debate.
Social media is limited to the Internet. Digital marketing is not.
Social media platforms are accessible only through the internet. Digital marketing, on the other hand, involves offline marketing channels as well as online mediums.
Digital Marketing has a broader audience than social media marketing.
Digital marketing strategies can be used to reach the audience on your website, mobile applications, search engines like Google, and your social media channels. Social media is restricted to certain platforms and their specific applications only.
Digital marketing can be used to measure the performance of all your digital content.
One of the major goals of digital marketing is to drive traffic to your main sales funnel – which is usually your website. So whatever content you put in the digital space will be measured against relevant metrics – like website traffic and sales conversions. Social media content only includes content specific to that platform. That means it can only give you a partial picture of how your digital marketing efforts measure up to your expectations.
Digital marketing requires more effort for content creation.
Since digital marketing involves more marketing channels, you will have to create a broader range of content to target your audience. Digital marketing content may also include social media content. On the other hand, if you focus on one or two social media platforms, you may only need to create specific content for those platforms.
Digital marketing requires long-term planning.
Digital marketing versus social media marketing is a long-term vs. a short-term game plan. When planning a digital marketing campaign, your branding and marketing strategies will take time to bear results. It may take several months to years for brands to establish an online presence in many cases.
In contrast, social media is a quick way to reach online audiences, since the target group lies within a specific space. Social media focuses on engagement metrics as its primary goal to draw users to your sales channels.
What Digital Marketing Channels are there?
Digital marketing encompasses multiple ways to approach customers. Here are some digital marketing channels every marketer needs to know about.
1. Search Engines
Search engines help users to find things on the internet. You want to increase the chances of your product being discovered on a search engine. Two common tools on search engines are Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
2. Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC advertising works through a network of ad servers that operate with partner websites. The advertiser pays the ad network for each click.
3. Your Website
A brand’s website serves as the primary reference point for all product information. It is the face and the shopping cart for your online business.
4. Email Marketing
Email content can be used o inform customers about product updates and offers.
5. Affiliate Marketing
By using referral links to redirect users to affiliate marketing partner channels, you can earn a commission on each referral.
6. Content Marketing and Curation
Digital content (newsletters, reports, blogs, and research) serves as a resource for marketers and customers. By combining multiple channels (website, email, etc.) you can create interest among prospective users towards your products.
7. Mobile Marketing
Mobile marketing revolves around communications sent through mobile devices and networks. This includes SMS marketing and mobile app advertising.
8. Video Marketing
Digital video is a great medium for advertising brands or producing engaging content. You can utilize traditional TV channels or online platforms like Youtube, Facebook, or Vimeo to share online videos.
9. Social Media Marketing
Last but not the least, social media websites are part of digital marketing strategies. You need to register unique accounts to start your social media activity and engage with other users.
Read more: Digital Marketing for Lawyers – A Comprehensive Guide
What Platforms are there for Social Media Marketing?
There are several social media platforms, each having a specific type of audience. Here are the ones you need to know about.
1. Facebook: A general social media platform for all types of digital marketing communications
2. Twitter: A microblogging service that works with a combination of small text posts and image content for quick updates
3. LinkedIn: It’s like Facebook, but for professionals
4. Reddit: A community-focused platform that is designed for Q&A and user interests
5. Youtube: The world’s premier video-sharing platform
6. Tiktok: A short video-sharing platform that targets a younger, casual audience
7. Instagram: An image and video sharing platform that attracts celebrities and online influencers
8. Discord: A chat app that targets gamers and technophiles
9. WhatsApp: Originally a messaging service that has evolved into a customer service application
Digital Marketing versus Social Media Marketing: What Should You Focus On?
While digital marketing and social media marketing have clear-cut differences, they are linked together because both can be used to take advantage of the internet for marketing your products.
We recommend that you craft a digital marketing strategy across multiple channels and start with what is easy for you. So, if you think starting with Facebook works for your current team and budget, go ahead and start posting there. It’s better than not starting at all.
That does not mean that you should expect your social media marketing manager to handle all digital media on her own. You need to consult with experts for different types of channels and hire someone who can do the job right.
That’s where an agency like Arturo Digital can help you craft full-funnel digital media solutions. Our experts will help you successfully execute your digital marketing strategy across major platforms to increase your reach and target ideal customers. Contact us today for a quick consultation.
