Pretty often you find people asking -“What is digital marketing? How does it differ from inbound marketing? (And if you happen to have misconceptions about inbound marketing, read “5 Inbound Marketing Myths Busted”)For some, the difference is obvious. However, there are many who do not know the difference Inbound & Digital Marketing.
The scope of marketing has expanded so much in recent years, that the very styles and tactics of marketing have blended into undefined, new paths. One particular reason is the dawn of the digital age. The science, tactics and very styles of the marketing has certainly escalated to new paths.
It’s often perplexing to understand, but it’s not arduous. Let’s make an attempt to understand what these two worlds are all about.
Inbound Marketing vs Digital Marketing:Giving it a reverence of seniority, I will explain the concept of digital marketing first. Digital marketing is more of a collection of standalone tactics a business can use to reach users; it’s online elements include page banners, individual site pages, logos and branding tools. Digital Marketing encompasses every method which is available on digital turf that can be used for advertising purpose and this makes it a very broad term. It’s more like hiring vehicles to reach a particular destination, without knowing the route.
On the other hand, inbound marketing doesn’t take you to your desired destination, it brings your destination to you! To be more precise, inbound marketing is not about shouting out about yourself to your target audience, it’s about being available – prominently & authoritatively – where your target audience is.
It’s different from the conventional digital advertising as it focuses more on attracting prospects, generating leads, nurturing leads and influencing their buying decision in a way that they enter your sales funnel as a potential buyers and become your customers.
Usually a person (either a CEO or a marketer) is perplexed as to what approach to follow, inbound or digital.
Resolving the dilemma would be easy if the following questions are answered:
- Are you looking to execute digital marketing tactics or for a strategy integrated program?
- Do you want to look good or want to drive results?
Now, if you are looking to execute a single tactic such as running a social media campaign or a PPC campaign, a digital marketing agency can help you with your needs. Your digital marketing needs vary from email marketing, web banners, digital brochures, micro-sites, influencer marketing, mobile marketing (via text or media), PPC, video marketing, electronic billboards, affiliate marketing, in-app mobile advertisements and more. Social media, in particular, has been a great ambassador to the cause of digital media.
However, if you are looking for strategic and long-term marketing plan, which will help your business get found and drive results for your aggressive sales growth, then an inbound marketing agency works best for you.
It is a more holistic, data-driven approach to marketing that attracts and converts visitors to your brand. It involves a great deal of content creation for a more dynamic and educational experience meant to appeal to prospects in all levels of the buying process. Inbound marketing attracts qualified prospects to your business via blogging, SEO and website pages that keep them coming back for more.
I’m not here to blow the trumpet of inbound marketing or defame digital. The purpose was to help you make right decisions basis your business needs. Inbound would be your persona-based marketing which champions providing useful answers over generating volumes of unqualified leads. And digital would be your short-term branding approach with minimal investments on a selected number of single tactics. Perhaps the best way to think about digital marketing is as a component of an overall inbound marketing strategy.
If you’re interested in knowing more about Inbound Marketing, visit our website. The best would be to get in touch with us 🙂
And would appreciate your comments on my attempt to make a distinction.
