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Introduction to Digital Marketing Progress
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What is Digital Marketing
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What is Digital Marketing?

Definitions, evolution, and where AI fits in today’s marketing landscape.

Team collaborating over digital analytics dashboards on laptops
Digital marketing blends creativity, analytics, and technology to reach audiences where they are—online. Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

Definition

Digital marketing is the practice of using online channels, platforms, and technologies to attract, engage, convert, and retain audiences. It spans search, social, email, content, paid ads, and more—supported by analytics and increasingly by AI.

A Quick Evolution

  1. Web 1.0: Brochure websites, banner ads, basic metrics (pageviews).
  2. Search & Social: SEO, SEM, social media communities; content marketing emerges.
  3. Mobile & Programmatic: Always-on devices, real-time bidding, personalization.
  4. AI Era: Generative content, predictive targeting, automation, and creative testing at scale.

The Digital Marketing Funnel

The funnel maps a user’s journey from discovery to advocacy.

  • Awareness: People discover your brand (e.g., SEO, social, PR).
  • Consideration: They research & compare (content, reviews, email nurture).
  • Conversion: They act (purchase, signup, demo request).
  • Loyalty & Advocacy: They return and refer others.
Awareness Consideration Conversion Loyalty
Channels play different roles at each stage.

Owned, Earned, and Paid Media

Type Examples Pros Cons
Owned Website, blog, email list, app Control, compounding ROI, first-party data Takes time to grow; content needed
Earned PR, reviews, shares, backlinks Credibility, reach, lower cost Unpredictable, hard to control
Paid Search ads, social ads, display Fast scale, precise targeting Ongoing spend, ad fatigue

Key Metrics & KPIs

  • Traffic & Visibility: Sessions, CTR, impressions, share of voice.
  • Engagement: Time on page, bounce rate, social interactions.
  • Conversion: CVR, CPA/CAC, revenue, pipeline generated.
  • Retention: Repeat purchases, churn, LTV, NPS.
  • Efficiency: ROAS, MER, blended CAC, contribution margin.

Micro-Exercise (10 minutes)

  1. Pick a product or service you know.
  2. Write one sentence for each funnel stage explaining the user’s need.
  3. Map 2 channels per stage (e.g., Awareness: TikTok + PR; Conversion: Search ads + CRO test).
Quick self-check:
  • Which channel is Owned vs Paid in your plan?
  • What is your primary conversion action and KPI?
  • Where could AI save you time (ideation, targeting, reporting)?

Further Reading

Next →
Introduction to Digital Marketing