Digital marketing primer: Understanding strategies and measuring success

Today, every business invests in digital marketing. Whether small or large, businesses either have an in-house team or outsource their digital marketing efforts to a third-party agency. 

Digital marketing is a broad term that encompasses many services.

Although the term “digital marketing” is self-explanatory, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Business owners often allocate budgets for marketing but are unsure how to monitor, measure and maximize the results from their efforts and investments.

Getting started with digital marketing

Every time a business opts for online marketing, the first and foremost thought is how to establish a presence on Google and other search engines. Most user searches are conducted on search engines first. Social media platforms are then explored for additional information about the company, products, services and reviews.

Hence, SEO and PPC are the two most crucial aspects of digital marketing. However, in the current market scenario, as competition increases and organic search algorithms incorporate AI, ranking well and achieving a strong search presence has become more challenging than ever.

Many businesses consider using PPC initially until they establish a good organic presence. However, today, PPC demands a significant budget allocation to achieve definite and favorable results.

Therefore, a holistic approach and optimal budget allocation for each service will result in a better overall ROI. This strategy will also ensure a brand presence across all spheres of the digital landscape.

Let’s break down and understand the following:

• What does digital marketing include?
• What results can you expect from each marketing effort?
• How can you analyze and measure the success of each marketing effort?

1. What does search engine optimization (SEO) include?

• On-page SEO: Optimizing individual pages for better search presence, higher rankings and more relevant traffic (e.g., keyword optimization, meta tags, content quality).
• Off-page SEO: Activities outside the website that influence rankings (e.g., backlinks, social signals).
• Technical SEO: Improving the technical aspects of a website (e.g., site speed, mobile-friendliness, structured data, XML sitemaps, robots.txt, etc.).

Results to expect

• Increased organic traffic: As you optimize your website, you’ll see more visitors arriving via search engines.
• Higher quality leads: SEO targets users actively searching for related content or products, resulting in more qualified leads.
• Improved brand visibility: Higher search rankings increase your brand’s visibility.
• Long-term ROI: SEO efforts can lead to sustained traffic and leads over time.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Organic traffic: Measure the number of visitors coming from search engines using Google Analytics.
• Keyword rankings: Track the positions of your target keywords using tools like Smerush, Ahrefs or Google Search Console.
• Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of users who click on your search engine listing compared to the number of times it’s shown.
• Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page.
• Backlinks: Monitor the number and quality of external websites linking to your content.

2. What does content marketing include?

• Blogging: Creating valuable blog content to attract and engage an audience.
• Video content: Producing videos to educate, entertain or inform your audience.
• Infographics: Using visual content to convey information or data.
• Ebooks and whitepapers: Providing in-depth information on specific topics to capture leads.
• Podcasts: Creating audio content to reach audiences on the go.

Results to expect

• Enhanced SEO: Higher search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.
• Audience engagement: Readers spending more time on your site and returning for more content.
• Thought leadership: Establishing your brand as an authority in your field.
• Increased conversion rates: Content guiding users through the buyer’s journey.
• Shareability: Content being shared widely across social platforms.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Page views: The number of times your content pages are viewed.
• Time on page: The average amount of time users spend on your content pages.
• Social shares: The number of times your content is shared on social media.
• Lead generation: The number of leads generated through content offers (e.g., ebooks, whitepapers).
• Conversion rate: The percentage of content readers who convert into leads or customers.

Dig deeper: What is content marketing? Defining marketing’s present and future

• Platform management: Promoting your brand on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and others.
• Content creation: Developing posts, stories and other content formats.
• Community engagement: Interacting with followers, responding to comments and managing your online community.
• Paid social advertising: Running targeted ads. on social media platforms.

Results to expect

• Increased brand awareness: More followers and mentions on social media platforms.
• Engagement and community building: Regular interactions with your audience.
• Website traffic: Social media posts driving users to your website.
• Lead generation: Targeted advertising leading to new leads.
• Customer insights: Gaining insights into customer behavior and preferences.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Engagement rate: The sum of likes, comments and shares divided by the total number of followers or impressions.
• Follower growth: The increase in the number of followers over time.
• Website traffic: Track the number of visitors to your site from social media using Google Analytics.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of social media users who take a desired action (e.g., signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase).
• Social media mentions: Track the number and sentiment of mentions using tools like Brand24 or Mention.

Dig deeper: What is social media marketing?

4. What does email marketing include?

• Newsletters: Regular updates sent to your email list.
• Automated campaigns: Triggered emails based on user behavior (e.g., welcome series, cart abandonment).
• Promotional emails: Sending offers and promotions to drive sales.
• Transactional emails: Receipts, order confirmations and other operational emails.

Results to expect

• Direct communication: Personalized and targeted messages reaching your audience.
• High ROI: Significant returns on investment compared to other marketing channels.
• Increased sales: Promotional emails leading to direct sales.
• Customer retention: Maintaining relationships with existing customers through regular updates.
• Traffic generation: Emails driving traffic to your website or specific landing pages.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Open rate: The percentage of recipients who open your email.
• Click-through rate: The percentage of recipients who click on links within your email.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of email recipients who take the desired action (e.g., making a purchase).
• Bounce rate: The percentage of emails that could not be delivered to the recipient’s inbox.
• Unsubscribe rate: The percentage of recipients who opt out of receiving future emails.

5. What does pay-per-click (PPC) advertising include?

• Search ads: Text ads displayed on search engine results pages (e.g., Google Ads).
• Display ads: Banner ads on websites within the Google Display Network or other networks.
• Social media ads: Sponsored posts and ads on social media platforms.
• Retargeting ads: Ads targeting users who have previously visited your website.

Results to expect

• Immediate traffic: Almost instant visibility and traffic to your website.
• Targeted reach: Ads displayed to users based on specific keywords and demographics.
• Measurable ROI: Clear metrics to track the return on investment.
• Brand exposure: Increased visibility across search engines and partner sites.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Click-through rate: The percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing it.
• Cost per click (CPC): The average cost you pay each time someone clicks on your ad.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of clicks that result in a desired action (e.g., purchase, signup).
• Quality score: Google’s measure of the relevance and quality of your ads and landing pages.
• Return on ad spend (ROAS): Revenue generated for every dollar spent on PPC.
• Impressions: The number of times your ad is displayed.
• Ad position: Where your ad appears on the search results page.

6. What does affiliate marketing include?

• Partnerships: Collaborating with affiliates who promote your products or services in exchange for a commission.
• Affiliate networks: Platforms that connect brands with potential affiliates.

Results to expect

• Extended reach: Access to new audiences through affiliates.
• Performance-based: Pay affiliates based on performance (e.g., sales, clicks).
• Cost-effective: Low upfront costs since you only pay for actual conversions.
• Brand advocacy: Affiliates promoting your products can enhance credibility.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Affiliate sales: The number of sales generated through affiliate links.
• Conversion rate: The percentage of affiliate clicks that result in sales or leads.
• Average order value (AOV): The average amount spent per order generated through affiliates.
• Commission rates: The percentage of each sale paid to affiliates.
• Clicks: The number of times affiliate links are clicked.
• Return on investment (ROI): Revenue generated versus the cost of the affiliate program.

Dig deeper: How publishers can regain traffic and revenue with affiliate marketing

7. What does influencer marketing include?

• Influencer partnerships: Collaborating with influencers to promote your brand to their audience.
• Sponsored content: Paying influencers to create content featuring your products or services.

Results to expect

• Increased brand awareness: Exposure to the influencer’s audience.
• Engagement: Higher engagement rates due to the influencer’s credibility and connection with their followers.
• Traffic and sales: Direct traffic and potential sales from influencer promotions.
• Content creation: High-quality content created by influencers that can be repurposed.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Engagement rate: The sum of likes, comments and shares on influencer posts.
• Reach and impressions: The number of unique users who saw the influencer’s content.
• Clicks: The number of clicks on links provided by the influencer.
• Conversions: Sales or leads generated through influencer promotions.
• Cost per engagement (CPE): The cost divided by the total engagements.
• Brand mentions: The number of times your brand is mentioned by influencers.

8. What does digital public relations (PR) include?

• Press releases: Distributing newsworthy content to online media.
• Media outreach: Engaging with online journalists and bloggers.
• Crisis management: Handling and mitigating negative online publicity.

Results to expect

• Brand visibility: Increased visibility through media coverage.
• Reputation management: Building and maintaining a positive public image.
• Credibility: Third-party validation from media and influencers.
• Audience reach: Expanding reach to a broader audience.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Media mentions: The number of times your brand is mentioned in the media.
• Share of voice: Your brand’s share of total industry mentions.
• Sentiment analysis: The tone and sentiment of media coverage.
• Press release performance: Views, shares and pickups of your press releases.
• Website traffic: Increase in traffic from PR activities.
• Backlinks: Links from media coverage to your website.

9. What does conversion rate optimization (CRO) include?

• User experience (UX) design: Enhancing the usability of your website to improve user experience.
• Landing page optimization: Creating and refining landing pages to increase conversion rates.

Results to expect

• Increased conversions: Higher percentage of website visitors taking desired actions.
• Improved user experience: Enhanced website usability and user satisfaction.
• Better ROI: More conversions without increasing traffic costs.
• Data-driven decisions: Insights from user behavior data to inform improvements.

Detailed analytics metrics

• Conversion rate: The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action.
• Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page.
• Average session duration: The average amount of time visitors spend on your site.
• Pages per session: The average number of pages viewed during a session.
• A/B test results: Performance comparison between different versions of web pages.
• Heatmaps: Visual representation of where users click, move and scroll on your site.

Dig deeper: Driving traffic but not leads? How to win with SEO and CRO

By integrating these components, digital marketing aims to attract, engage and convert prospects into customers, fostering long-term relationships and driving business growth. 

When combined, these efforts create a powerful synergy that enhances overall marketing impact. Tracking metrics lets you refine your strategies, improve performance and achieve your goals more effectively.