Digital marketing is a form of marketing that leverages the internet and digital technologies, such as computers and smartphones, to connect with customers. As with other forms of marketing, its purpose is to increase brand awareness, drive sales, and promote goods and services.
The exponential increase of internet users over the past two decades has led to a similar increase in digital marketing efforts. In fact, approximately 62 percent of the global population is online today. A study from April 2022 illustrates the pervasiveness of digital technology in the world with the following figures:
- Active internet users: 5 billion
- Active mobile internet users: 4.32 billion
- Active social media users: 4.65 billion
As a result, advertisers have increasingly devoted more and more of their budget to digital marketing year after year. One study found that at the same time digital marketing budgets routinely went up by double-digit figures, traditional marketing budgets were repeatedly slashed by single-digit percentages. Digital marketing, then, is a growing field with a growing impact.
Data also plays a big part in digital marketing. In addition to collecting valuable information by tracking a customer’s journey in real time, data also allows marketers to target specific audiences by tailoring content to their preferred digital channels. For example, Starbucks has been known to use data collected from their rewards mobile apps to identify seasonal trends and create promotions relevant to their customer base.