Internet Marketing vs. Digital Marketing

There are numerous terms that describe the relationship between technology, the internet, and marketing. How should your business be spreading its marketing message, through internet marketing, or digital marketing? What is the difference, and does it even matter? We shall examine a side-by-side comparison between internet marketing and digital marketing.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing involves the use of digital channels, machines, and platforms to promote a message. Digital marketing does not take into account whether or not these channels, machines and platforms are online or not. Hence, digital marketing does not strictly encompass internet-related functions. Think of digital marketing as an “umbrella term” that includes internet or online marketing as a subset.

An example of digital marketing that does not involve the internet, is promotional SMS texts. After gathering potential lead phone numbers through surveys or other methods, you could create a mobile SMS texting campaign that alerts potential leads of new product offerings, or limited-time deals. This marketing tactic was performed using technology; however, a live internet connection was not necessary to carry it out.

Internet Marketing

Internet marketing can also be referred to as “online marketing.” In hierarchal terms, it is under the umbrella of digital marketing. Internet marketing must involve a live internet connection in order to operate. This does not mean internet marketing is obsolete or unnecessary. In fact, it is debatably a more impactful strategy than traditional marketing methods.

Types of Internet Marketing

Here are some of the most effective forms of internet marketing:

• Organic Search Engine Optimization
• Pay-Per-Click Advertising
• Social Media Marketing
• Display/Banner Advertising
• Email Marketing
• Mobile internet Marketing

Let’s go over these different internet marketing techniques. Organic SEO refers to optimizing your website in order to rank higher in a search engines results page. (SERPS) This is arguably the most complex form of internet marketing, as SEO tactics are both high in numbers, and ever-changing with algorithm updates. An important element of SEO is generating useful content that appeals to search engine algorithms. Many businesses choose to receive consultations from digital marketing firms in order to improve their SEO and attract organic traffic. Pay-per-click online advertising is another extensively complicated aspect of internet marketing. It involves creating campaigns on various platforms such as Google AdWords, and optimizing them to generate the highest number of relevant leads and sales, for the lowest possible cost—this is the overlying goal of paid ads.

Social media marketing is a bit simpler. Your business should be on all major social media channels, churning out content that is valuable to followers, transforming them into customers in the process. Paid ads can also be utilized on nearly all social media platforms. Display and banner advertising is a simple form of internet marketing that involves purchasing ad space on websites. It is usually relatively cheap, but can be lacking in other areas such as click-through rate and audience targeting. Email marketing is effective for generating leads, promoting limited-time offers, and branding through newsletters. Mobile marketing refers to optimizing marketing efforts to cellular devices. Between 2016 and 2021, mobile data traffic has been projected to increase by over 650%. This absurd figure emphasizes the importance of tailoring marketing efforts to the mobile device realm.

The Difference: Does it Matter?

As you can probably tell, the difference between digital marketing and internet marketing isn’t large, or even significant. What really matters, is which marketing strategy you and your business choose to pursue. In an increasingly digitalized world, businesses cannot afford to ignore the rapidly changing digital and online environment. The power of an established online presence cannot be underestimated; if your business recognizes this and is taking action to improve it, then you likely have an advantage over much of your competition.

SunCity Advising: A Digital Marketing Agency

SunCity Advising is a digital marketing services provider based in San Diego, California. These services include content creation, lead generation, paid digital advertising, search engine optimization, social media management, website design, and more. Whether your business needs to modify an existing marketing strategy, or create a brand-new plan, the experts at SunCity Advising are ready to provide assistance. Contact us today!