Inbound marketing versus digital marketing
Digital marketing and inbound marketing are easily confused, and for good reason.
Digital marketing uses many of the same tools as inbound marketing—email and online
content, to name a few. Both exist to capture the attention of prospects through
the buyer’s journey and turn them into customers. But the two approaches take
different views of the relationship between the tool and the goal.
Digital marketing considers how individual tools or digital channels can convert
prospects. A brand's digital marketing strategy may use multiple platforms or focus
all of its efforts on one platform. For example, a company may primarily create
content for social media platforms and email marketing campaigns while ignoring
other internet marketing avenues.
On the other hand, inbound marketing is a holistic concept. It considers the goal
first, then looks at the available tools to determine which will effectively reach
target customers, and then at which stage of the sales funnel that should happen.
As an example, say you want to increase website traffic to generate more prospects
and leads. You can focus on search engine optimization when developing your content
marketing strategy, resulting in more optimized content, including blogs, landing
pages, and more.
The most important thing to remember about digital marketing and inbound marketing
is that as a marketing professional, you don’t have to choose between the two. In
fact, they work best together. Inbound marketing provides structure and purpose for
effective digital marketing efforts, making sure that each online marketing channel
works toward a goal.
Why is online marketing important?
Any type of marketing can help your business thrive. However, internet marketing
has become increasingly important because of how accessible digital channels are.
In fact, there were 5.56 billion internet users globally as of February 2025.
From social media to emails, there are many ways to use digital marketing tactics
in order to communicate with your target audience. Additionally, digital marketing
has minimal upfront costs, making it a cost-effective marketing technique for small
businesses.
B2b vs B2c
B2B versus B2C digital marketing
Digital marketing strategies work for B2B (business to business) as well as B2C
(business to consumer) companies, but best practices differ significantly between
the two. Here's a closer look at how digital marketing is used in B2B and B2C
marketing strategies:
B2B clients tend to have longer decision-making processes, and thus longer sales
funnels. Relationship-building strategies work better for these clients, whereas
B2C customers tend to respond better to short-term offers and messages.
B2B transactions are usually based on logic and evidence, which is what skilled B2B
digital marketers present. B2C content is more likely to be emotionally-based,
focusing on making the customer feel good about a purchase.
B2B decisions tend to need more than 1 person's input. The marketing materials that
best drive these decisions tend to be shareable and downloadable. B2C customers, on
the other hand, favor one-on-one connections with a brand.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. A B2C company with a high-ticket
product, such as a car or computer, might offer more informative and serious
content. As a result, your digital marketing strategy always needs to be geared
toward your own customer base, whether you're B2B or B2C.
Take a look at your current audience to create well-informed and targeted online
marketing campaigns. Doing so ensures your marketing efforts are effective and you
can capture the attention of potential customers.
Types of digital marketing
There are as many specializations within digital marketing as there are ways of
interacting using digital media. Here are a few key examples of types of digital
marketing tactics.
Search engine optimization
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is technically a marketing tool rather than a
form of internet marketing in itself. It is often called "an art and a science."
The "science" part of SEO is what’s most important. SEO is a science because it
requires you to research and
