How Many Main Pillars of Digital Marketing Are Exactly There?

If you use the internet for your day-to-day activities, you've likely been exposed to digital marketing in various forms.

From the banner ads that appear on websites to the targeted social media posts and even the pre-roll ads before YouTube videos, online freelance digital marketing is everywhere. And for businesses, it's become an essential part of any successful marketing strategy.

But if you're new to digital marketing, it can seem overwhelming. Don't worry, though! This guide will break down the main pillars of digital marketing that form the foundation of any effective online marketing strategy, regardless of your industry.

The number of pillars you find online can vary – some break things down in detail and say 20 pillars, while others take a more concise approach and discuss three pillars. Here, we'll focus on four essential pillars, including everything you need to know.

Understanding these core online marketing components will help your business navigate the complexities of the online world, reach your target audience, build strong relationships, and ultimately achieve your marketing goals.

Understanding the Concept of Digital Marketing

Before discussing the main pillars of marketing, it’s essential to understand the concept properly.

Simply put, digital marketing is the promotion of products or services using digital tools and technologies, such as the Internet, mobile devices, and social media platforms.

Today, where the Internet has become a core part of our lives, businesses must leverage various online channels to connect with their customers and stay ahead of the competition.

To better understand the main pillars of digital marketing, let’s take a closer look at its evolution and why it has become such a crucial aspect in today’s business world.

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The Rise of ROI-Driven Marketing

Thanks to powerful analytics and targeting, digital marketing far surpasses traditional media and advertising in both budget and results.

You can now monitor all your online adverts, see where your money goes, and generate sales and lead reports with just a few clicks.

This trend reflects the growing dominance of digital marketing in the global advertising market, a historic shift highlighted by digital ad spending now accounting for over 70% of total advertising budgets.

• According to Hostinger's 2024 Digital Marketing Stats, the global market value of digital marketing will reach $1.3 trillion by 2033.
  
• Over 50% of company marketing budgets go to paid media and new technologies
  
• Mobile advertising to account for 70% of total ad spending by 2028

These numbers speak for themselves and highlight the importance of digital strategies for businesses to reach and engage their target audiences effectively.

Why Digital Marketing is Important for Businesses

Whether a small business or a hefty billion business, Internet Marketing has become crucial for businesses of all sizes. It enables companies to increase brand visibility, generate leads, and drive sales.

With people investing more time online, businesses must establish a solid online presence to connect with potential customers and build long-term relationships.

One of the most significant benefits of digital marketing is its ability to reach a global audience. Where traditional marketing methods are often limited by geographical boundaries, online marketing allows businesses to reach customers across different counties and time zones.

This opens up a world of opportunities for expansion and growth for businesses.

Moreover, the main pillars of digital marketing offer a level playing field for businesses. Small and medium-sized enterprises can compete with giant companies by leveraging digital channels to target niche markets and create personalized customer experiences.

This levels the playing field and allows businesses for innovation and creativity to thrive.

Another critical aspect of digital marketing is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike traditional marketing methods, digital marketing strategies offer a more affordable and measurable approach.

Businesses can allocate their budgets more efficiently, targeting specific audiences and monitoring the return on investment for each campaign.

This gives businesses greater control and flexibility in marketing strategies.

What are the Main Pillars of Digital Marketing?

Now that we understand the importance of digital marketing for businesses, let’s delve into the four main pillars of digital marketing that form the foundation of successful marketing strategy:

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

The first main digital marketing pillar is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). While most digital marketing works on reaching out to your target audience, SEO is quite different.

It is a kind of inbound marketing that enables potential customers to come to you instead. By ensuring that your website ranks higher on search engine result pages, you can increase traffic to your website.

AI development services can be used to analyze and optimize websites for better search engine rankings, including tasks such as keyword research, content generation, and technical SEO. This can help businesses attract more organic traffic and improve their online visibility.

The more traffic you engage with your content, the more likely you will get customers. The optimization of SEO is an art in itself. You have to carefully craft your content, not only to make sure that it is relevant but also to use keywords that people often search for.

To learn more about how SEO can help your business generate an improved conversion rate, read this: Why Is SEO Important For Your Business In 2024?

2. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

The second pillar of digital marketing is Search Engine Marketing (SEM). It’s similar to SEO but deals with paid search results instead of organic ones. Different search engines work differently, but larger search engines like Google clearly state whether a search result is organic or paid for.

This type of digital marketing still requires you to do keyword research to ensure that your web page shows up, even though it is paid. The ethical aspect of SEO is up for debate. Still, it is currently a big part of the online marketing landscape.

Recommended Read: How And Why Should You Use Google Ads For Your Business?

3. Content Marketing

Today, where promotion through digital media has become an effective and common way to achieve more for businesses, it's clear why content marketing is one of the main pillars of digital marketing.

Nowadays, many companies use content to reach potential customers. This type of marketing is not definite (although it may include a call to action hidden somewhere). Instead, it tries to generate interest in the company's products and services by creating engaging content.

Since different people are interested in other things, an important thing to consider while creating and curating content is your target audience.

Based on the demographics of your potential customers, businesses can make sure that they offer them tailor-made content.

While content can be in many forms, the three basic ones include text, audio, and video. Let’s understand each of these in more detail:

Text

One of the most common forms of content, text, is generally used in content marketing, such as blogs and articles. With the help of several online tools, businesses write blogs and engaging articles about their areas of expertise to draw in customers – at virtually zero cost.

These blogs aim to give customers what they want (in the form of a guide or an explanatory blog post) while showing them that you are an expert in the subject matter.

The creation of text content uses SEO practices to a large extent. After all, all, your potential customers have to be able to find your content to engage with it.

Audio

The use of audio for marketing has been around for as long as we’ve heard radios. But, even though traditional radios may be on the decline, audio marketing is not.

This is probably because it is so easy to engage with. You can listen to a podcast or an audiobook while doing many different tasks – driving, exercising, or even cleaning your house.

Having a podcast is similar to having a blog, in that you can entertain and provide value to your customers while also showing them that you know what you are talking about.

The ease of consumption of audio content gives you an edge. The only downside to this is that it costs more to create than text content, with the equipment you will need to ensure clean audio.

Video

According to GlobalMediaInsight, YouTube has more than 2.70 billion monthly active users as of 2024. The rise of YouTube and other social media platforms has made creating and sharing video content extremely easy.

You can quickly assemble a webinar, a course, or even a live stream where you can interact with your customers in real-time. When it comes to explanatory content, a video is a great way to show everyone what your product or service is about.

Another benefit of video content is SEO. If you open Google, you’ll see a section of the search results page devoted solely to videos.

The best thing to do is mix it up and use different kinds of content that work with each other. For example, you could have snippets of video and audio interwoven into your text content or even include graphics.

4. Social Media Marketing

The last pillar of digital marketing is social media marketing. This is, after all a kind of content marketing because you have to create content to keep your social media pages active. However, it is considered to be one of the pillars of digital marketing all by itself, because it goes far beyond just creating and sharing content.

As a user of social media, you are part of a community, and it is your brand’s responsibility to engage with that community. This includes replying to comments and messages and conversing with your followers as people and not just customers.

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Now that You Understand the Pillars of Digital Marketing, It’s time to Leverage it for Your Business!

Using SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, and PPC advertising effectively, you can establish a strong online presence, reach your target audience, and drive meaningful results in today’s competitive marketplace.

Arramton Infotech, a leading digital marketing company, offers digital marketing services worldwide. We will work with you to ensure that your marketing strategy brings the best results while staying true to your brand.

Contact us today to get started!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are the main pillars of digital marketing?

Ans. The main pillars of digital marketing include Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for organic website visibility, Content Marketing to attract and engage your audience, Social Media Marketing to connect and build relationships, and Search Engine Marketing (Paid Advertising) to reach a wider target audience.

Q. How many main pillars of digital marketing are there?

Ans. There are 4 main pillars of digital marketing. These core elements work together to create a comprehensive online marketing strategy.

 

Q. How is site traffic useful in evaluating marketing?

Ans. Website traffic is a crucial metric in digital marketing. It helps you understand how many people are visiting your site and how they found it. By analyzing traffic sources and user behavior, you can gauge the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and identify areas for improvement.

Q. Why Internet strategies are important for traditional business?

Ans. In today's digital world, consumers spend a significant amount of time online. Having a strong internet presence allows traditional businesses to reach a wider audience, connect with potential customers, and compete more effectively in the marketplace.

Q. What are some main features of digital marketing?

Ans. Digital marketing offers several key features compared to traditional methods. It's measurable, allowing you to track results and make data-driven decisions. It's also highly targeted, reaching specific demographics and interests online. Additionally, digital marketing is often more cost-effective than traditional advertising, making it a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes.