What is the definition of digital marketing?

Contents

As well as being firmly established in our lives, digital marketing has a direct influence on our consumption patterns and habits. But how do we define digital marketing and what are its potential benefits?

Definition

What is the definition of digital marketing and how does it differ from traditional marketing?

To understand the concept of digital marketing, it is first essential to understand what marketing traditionally means.

Very simply, this refers to all the actions taken by a company to promote a product or service. These actions are not initiated by chance, but are the result of various analyses of consumer behaviour and correspond to the best way of meeting their expectations.

However, with the rapid growth of digital technology, consumer habits have changed, with consumers now making the majority of their purchases online. As a result, companies need to address them differently, whether to encourage them to buy or to retain existing customers. To do this, they are using different digital channels and media, such as smartphones, tablets and social networks, which are replacing traditional advertising media.

Digital marketing therefore involves a range of techniques and levers deployed on digital channels to reach a specific target more effectively. Offline marketing and digital marketing have the same commercial purpose, namely to meet consumers’ needs and expectations.

The concept of web marketing is often referred to and compared with the notion of digital marketing. However, web marketing strategies are designed solely for the Internet, whereas digital marketing uses all information and communication technologies.

Channels

What are the main communication channels used in digital marketing?

As we saw earlier, the aim of digital marketing is to promote an offer or a brand in order to attract prospects, also known as leads, through a variety of channels. These channels, or digital levers, are numerous and constantly evolving. Nevertheless, here are the main levers used in digital marketing strategies:

Website

Websites are companies’ main communication tools. Consumers can find out about the products on offer, the brand and its values. Websites can take the form of corporate sites, e-commerce sites or even blogs.

SEO or natural search engine optimisation

Ranking in first place on Google has become a key issue, as it allows companies to benefit from greater visibility and outrank their competitors. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) aims to improve the positioning of a site or page on the SERPs through optimized content. Unlike paid acquisition campaigns, SEO generates organic traffic free of charge.

SEA or paid search

SEA (Search Engine Advertising) is a complementary lever to SEO. Both are part of SEM (Search Engine Marketing). SEA also makes it possible to generate traffic on a site and increase its visibility through advertising, but it is not free. For Google, campaigns are run on Google Ads, formerly Google Adwords.

Social networks play a crucial role in any digital marketing strategy. One of the aims of digital marketing is to encourage direct interaction with consumers, and social networks make this possible. By building large communities around them, brands are able tocommunicate directly with their target audiences.

Emailing

Mailing campaigns are also an important lever in digital marketing. They help to generate traffic to your site, acquire customers and build customer loyalty.

Other digital marketing levers include :

SMO (Social Media Optimization), optimisation and referencing for social networks
content marketing, based on the creation of high-quality content (videos, articles, white papers, carousels, posts, podcasts)
geolocated push notifications
mobile marketing
affiliation or partnership
SMS marketing
display advertising
social and viral marketing
web analytics

Opportunities

What are the advantages of digital marketing?

The rise of digital marketing is rooted in a broader and more complex trend: the digital transformation of businesses. This transformation is not always simple, since it can turn existing organisations upside down. Yet it is essential, especially as digital marketing offers some particularly attractive advantages.

Direct interaction with customers

Digital technology, and social networks in particular, have profoundly transformed the relationship between brands and their customers, who are no longer two separate entities, but mutually nourishing. Companies can now communicate directly with their consumers, creating an unprecedented level of proximity. The result is a strong sense of belonging and a high level of customer loyalty.

Low-cost campaigns that are easy to measure and optimise

Unlike offline marketing (press, newspapers, radio, television, print), digital marketing makes it possible to carry out effective actions at a lower cost. Above all, it enables the results of the initiatives undertaken to be measured directly and in real time. With digital, all campaigns can be measured using precise indicators (KPIs). This gives you the opportunity to quickly adjust your strategy or activate other digital levers if performance isn’t up to scratch.

Access to a vast and unlimited market

Digital and the internet know no borders. In fact, digital marketing opens up huge opportunities and markets for companies, who can offer their products and services around the world without interruption.

As a result, digital marketing becomes a powerful weapon for businesses, enabling them to roll out highly profitable campaigns at low cost, reaching vast target audiences. Thanks to the many digital levers available, innovative, creative and resolutely agile start-ups can compete with multinationals that have not taken the digital turn.

Offers

What courses in digital marketing are available at INSEEC?

INSEEC is a school specialising in business, management and marketing. It offers a range of courses in digital & data, from bac +3 to bac +5, enabling you to learn about social networks, data management, e-commerce and artificial intelligence.

Here are the courses offered by INSEEC in digital marketing:

Bachelor Digital Marketing in Bordeaux in 3 years in Paris, Lyon, Rennes and Chambéry, leading to a bac +3 diploma;
Digital Marketing & Data Management” major in the 4th year of the BBA in Bordeaux and Lyon, an internationally recognised bac +4 diploma;
Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence & Big Data” major in the 4th and 5th years of the Grande École Programme in Paris, bac +5 diploma;
MSc Data Analytics & Marketing Manager in Bordeaux, Paris and Lyon, 5-year professional degree;
Msc Digital Marketing & E-Business in Bordeaux, Paris, Lyon, Chambéry and Rennes, diploma at bac +5 level;
MSc Digital Communication & Social Media in Bordeaux, Paris, Chambéry and Lyon, 5-year degree;

For more information on digital marketing or the other specialisations taught at INSEEC, please consult our FAQ.