Content Marketing vs. Digital Marketing: Which is Best?

By on March 5th, 2021

5min Read

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Today, content and digital marketing are a core part of any business. In an era where consumers are spending most of their time and resources online, investing in such avenues has become a need. 

On the surface, digital and content marketing may sound the same. And in a sense they are. Both digital and content marketing strives for the same goals, namely :

  • To attract and retain clients.
  • Generate user traffic towards your respective touchpoints.
  • Increase sales through the promotion of products and services
  • Increase conversion rates.

But as much as the two marketing strategies are inherently the same, they are at the same time so distinct in their approach. It’s important for you to know the nitty-gritty of each strategy. 

A better understanding of both means better marketing results. Therefore, let’s have a definitive view of these two marketing strategies.

What Is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing comprises online marketing techniques a business makes use of in advertising its brand. You can reach a large audience by using different digital marketing techniques. What’s more, these techniques attract prospects and retain customers.

Digital marketing is a very broad term. It doesn’t just cover the online digital tools. It also deals with features that are optimized to achieve effective results. You can trace it all the way to app and website development.

Good examples include:

  • Website design and development.
  • Blogging
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Search Engine Marketing
  • Social media marketing and advertising
  • Video marketing
  • Influencer marketing
  • Infographics
  • Podcasts

A better understanding of these features will help us see the value digital marketing offers to your business. In fact, your digital marketing strategy should incorporate these features because of the role they play in growing your online presence. Later on, we shall compare digital marketing to content marketing. 

Website Design & Development 

Websites are among a business’s most valuable assets. In such a crowded and competitive market, having a good website can put you above the rest. With good reason too.

A website hosts all your business’s information. It’s like your office. The only difference is it can be open and accessible 24/7. When well designed and optimised, websites can become a powerful feature for your business.

Blogging

When it comes to blogging, well-written content will strengthen your online presence. Blogs are periodically posted articles that inform users of what your business offers. Blogs are very important, as they regularly inform, engage and influence customer decisions.

The benefits don’t end there. Blogs, over time, create a large database of information for your business’s products. This, in turn, creates more indexed pages- a vital resource that boosts your website’s SEO rankings.

Blogging also builds your website as a credible source of information. Your site will be seen as the place to refer in terms of expertise, tips and professional insight.

Guest blogging

Guest blogging is an excellent way to establish your relevance as an online authority. For instance, you may want to bump up user traffic to your website through blogging. You can feature a guest blogger on your site. They should have expertise or knowledge related to your business.

This gives users a secondary source of information with more insight into the products. It also provides the guest blogger with a platform to share their ideas, attracting potential clients.

You can use guest blogging to partner with websites that have high domain authority. This ensures you create effective backlinks. increasing your brand’s visibility and value.

SEO

Search engine optimization is another great digital marketing feature. As a business owner, you must make the most of SEO techniques. Users and clients should be able to easily search and find your business online.

It’s not just about search availability. There’s also the likelihood of a user typing a search word or phrase and landing on your site. SEO uses keyword research to generate high-quality search words and phrases.

By using these keywords in blogs and relevant information, websites boost their SEO rankings. In addition, SEO helps users identify with your business both online and offline.

Keep in mind that the success of your SEO campaigns will largely depend on how well you have crafted your digital marketing strategy. 

Search Engine Marketing

Search engine marketing is a great feature that’s also included in search engines. When a user types in a search word that’s related to your business, they’ll often see an ad at the first search results. 

These ads target specific keywords. Some ads are pay per click. This means you’ll be charged when a user clicks on the ad.

Social Media Marketing

Social media is one of the best places to market your business. You can share information and Marketing content with a large audience. 

Social media marketing is also beneficial in other ways. You can engage with different users and client personas at the same time. For instance, you can post high-quality videos and visual graphics on popular sites. 

To be effective in social media marketing, there are a few rules you must consider:

  • You should post a wide variety of content e.g. Images, videos, memes.
  • Don’t limit yourself to your business’s initiatives. Consider fun, creative approaches.
  • You should post often and at strategic times of the day i.e when user traffic is high.

Social Media Advertising

While some online posts are free, you can also use paid advertising on social media. If managed well, paid advertising can have high returns on investment(ROIs). What’s more, it covers different budget plans and increases your customer outreach.

Social media advertising, therefore, includes different methods of paid advertising on social sites. e.g Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter. The social site you choose will depend on your audience and personas.

Email Marketing

As a business, it may be tempting to go for more distinct digital marketing strategies. However, you shouldn’t underestimate the effectiveness of email marketing. It’s a great digital marketing strategy that targets users subscribed to your site.

You should include an email section in your apps and website, as they prompt users to register or sign up. Once subscribers, prospects receive newsletters and relevant information related to your business. 

That aside, email marketing is convenient for maintaining customer relations. It’s cheap and more personalised.

Video Marketing

Any online user will tell you the appeal that comes with high-quality video content. Video marketing is very influential, as users can relate to a product, service or brand from anywhere in the world. 

However, video marketing should be effectively planned for. Post videos that are specifically tailored around your business.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has been around for a long time time. This is because it’s a very effective digital marketing strategy. If you don’t want to pay for advertising, you can partner with an influencer.

Influencers are online subscribers that have a huge online following. They also have a strong connection to the targeted audience. 

Influencers give credible reviews on your product or service. Their followers, in turn, will have a positive view of your brand. It’s a great way to generate brand visibility and boost your business’s credibility.

Infographics

Infographic features act as a data presentation table. By analyzing all the user data and statistics in your platforms, you can reproduce them in a visual format.

This format can be understood by just about anyone. You can then share it through relevant channels e.g. Social media, website blogs. It’s a great way to encourage your customers to further interact with your business.

Podcasts

With podcasts, you can share information through a digital audio format. Audio files are convenient, as users can download and listen to them at preferred times.

Up to this point, you should have a better understanding of digital marketing and what it entails. Let’s now look at content marketing and related differences.

What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing. That’s just what it is. Sharing content to prospects and customers regarding products or services. At first glance, you may not see much difference when compared to digital marketing. 

Well, that’s not true. Content marketing consists of tailoring content that fits a particular audience.

It comprises all the digital marketing efforts you are taking to grow and sustain your business. Digital marketing tools and techniques allow you to generate powerful content that’s effective.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re still contemplating on which is best. You may probably be using both content and digital marketing. This is a good thing, as effective content marketing depends on accurate data. Digital marketing, therefore, complements content marketing.

While blogs and videos are great examples of content marketing, there are other examples. They include:

Case Studies

Case studies are an excellent way to further inform clients about your business. This includes more information about your products or services. Case studies also show clients how you’re going to meet and satisfy their needs.

Case studies will help your clients envision your brand value and business capabilities. They are highly influential in determining purchase options.

User-Generated Content

An excellent and proactive way to reach out to your customers. User-generated content aims to interact with your clients in a formal and creative way. You also target users that probably haven’t heard or interacted with your brand. This is great for extensive customer outreach.

Ebooks

If you feel like you didn’t paint a complete picture of your business, Ebooks are what you need. Guides or ebooks act like extended blog posts. You can fit all the information you need regarding your product or service. e.g Important updates, tips and guidelines, visual graphics.

Users can then download this digital publication. Ebooks are great for sharing personalized information concerning your business. This increases your brand value.

Whitepapers

Whitepapers are often mistaken for ebooks, but there’s a difference. Like ebooks, whitepapers comprise information relating to your business.

Whitepapers don’t necessarily create the best visual appeal intended for content marketing. They, however, are a great tool for influencing prospects. Especially the ones who are still in the research phase of their customer journey.

Gated content

While guides or ebooks are basically free for download, you can include a contact section. In order for users to have access to your publications, they’ll have to submit relevant contact details. This is a great way of filtering out uninterested users.

Final Thoughts

In essence, content and digital marketing go hand in hand. Neither is better than the other. An effective marketing strategy enables you to make the best use of both. Note that some businesses opt to have a specific content marketing team. This is because trying to differentiate and optimize the two marketing strategies can be complex. That is why you should hire or consult a professional digital marketing firm for help. We would be glad to help at Digital Hub Australia. Talk to us for more details. 

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