What Is Marketing?

Marketing is the process of finding and attracting customers through advertising, public relations, social media, and other means. The objective of marketing is not to simply sell a product, but to create a positive public image and build lasting relationships with customers. Marketing strategies include both inbound and outbound marketing. While outbound marketing focuses on finding customers and generating leads, inbound marketing aims to create a relationship with the consumer.

Traditional advertising focuses on traditional advertising techniques such as print ads, billboards, and radio spots. However, digital ads are becoming a major part of our lives and are visible on almost every surface. These include search ads, website banners, pre-roll ads, and sponsored social media posts. Advertising can be very effective if done correctly, but it is only one aspect of marketing.

Digital marketing involves the use of online and mobile channels to reach consumers. Although it employs many of the same principles as traditional marketing, it poses unique challenges for purveyors. Digital marketing is becoming increasingly reliant on the analysis of vast amounts of data. It requires a deep understanding of how digital channels work, how receivers use them, and how to capture their attention.

Paid digital advertising involves paying a publisher each time a user views or clicks on a company’s ad. In this way, marketers can buy attention and generate more sales. In addition to this, social media can help create a social media community around the product or service. This builds trust and customer loyalty.