Most businesses face a conundrum – which type of marketing suits their business – Digital marketing or affiliate marketing?
What yields better results in the long run? Let’s find out!
Let’s dive in detail, “Digital Marketing vs Affiliate Marketing”
What is Digital Marketing?
- The term digital marketing is pretty straightforward.
- It is the use of the internet or devices that use the internet to promote a business, service or product.
- Almost half of humanity, particularly the demographic that is consumeristic, is perpetually online.
- This opens up the possibility of selling something online with the help of leveraging the power of the internet.
- It is thrilling and works like magic, how cost-effective an online campaign is as opposed to “traditional methods”.
Components of Digital Marketing:
Digital Marketing is not purely creative. There are a list of technical aspects interwoven into digital marketing.
They are listed below :
1.Social Media : Social Media is a vast platform that everyone who uses the internet graces.
It is quite easy to see why users on the internet want to make use of this platform not just to promote, but even to build their brand.
Most companies tailor their social media accounts not just based on their products but also culture.
Running ad campaigns on social media is a life saver. Companies can run advertisements for a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing.
It is, therefore, essential for companies to have a presence on social media.
2.Customer Relationship : Besides being useful to promote a product, it is also a great way for customers to interact with the businesses since two-way communication is not disallowed.
Some companies even start off on social media, and only later create their own website. This allows for companies to save costs on data storage.
3.Content Marketing: Content is something you want to say. Usually seen as words and pictures, content is recently videos, too (read reels and shorts).
Most social media and websites have algorithms that display content to users based on their profile and data.
Quality content can result in attracting the right audience. This can be done consistently over time to create a network or create content that immediately goes viral.
Either way, content marketing plays a key role in digital marketing.
4.Search Engine Optimization : There was a joke someone once shared (it is a bit dark) : there was a murderer on the prowl but the police were never able to find the bodies or prove the case.
Do you know why? Because he hid the bodies on the 4th page of google search results. This joke sums up the average internet user mentality.
Search engine optimization is the process by which you leverage your knowledge of the keywords to make your content rank higher in searches.
This way, your website is discoverable and visible and gains traction.
5.Targeted Ads and pay-per-click marketing : Data is the fuel that runs the social media sphere and the internet as a whole.
Ads are targeted to the audience based on their vital information. Say, you want to run an ad for flowers and chocolates during the valentine weekend, these ads will not fetch you results if they are shown to singles.
Therefore, the ads are shown to young people in relationships. This means more conversions per impression or copy.
Pay-per-click advertising is when instead of running a continuous online campaign you pay the platform only every time someone clicks your ads.
The ads are prioritized according to Google Search Algorithm and ranked based on relevance and quality.
6.Email Campaigns : In most ads that are run to a wide audience, the user seeks to target a section that is interested.
The interested users leave their email address as a contact detail. Marked as high-intent users, these people are contacted through email campaigns which has the middle or bottom position in the pirate funnel.
Email campaigns help generate more desire for purchase.
7.Analytics : One of the key measurables of digital marketing is the data analysis on how your campaigns are performing.
This is an essential component of digital marketing that helps in sharpening the ax.
Tools and Platforms Used:
Some of the tools that are your companion in your digital marketing journey are:
- Google Analytics,
- Social Media,
- Video platforms,
- SEMrush,
- Ahrefs,
- Google Keyword Planner,
- HubSpot and
- AI tools.
Goals of Digital Marketing:
- The ultimate goal of a digital marketing strategy is to generate sales, but there is also brand building, community management, and customer relationship.
- The internet has clearly simplified the marketing process.
What is Affiliate Marketing?
- Affiliate marketing is a type of marketing where a company ties up with another third-party vendor to drive sales.
- IT works on a commission basis or with a revenue sharing model.
- Most food apps and online stores run on affiliate marketing, where your products are listed on the platform in exchange for a commission.
Components of Affiliate Marketing:
1.Merchants : The business owner
2.Affiliates : The platform
3.Customer : Buyer, usually users of the platform
4.The network : An intermediary between the merchant and the affiliate that provides a platform for finding programs and tracking and reporting tools
Tools and Platforms Used:
- Amazon, eBay, and Etsy are some of the biggest platforms for affiliate marketing.
- Advanced optimizing tools such as CAKE and Share-a-sale can help in improving your return-on-investment.
Goals of Affiliate Marketing:
- Sales and relationship management between the platform and the business are key to affiliate marketing.
- If the partners are able to synergize to effectively drive sales and generate income, then an affiliate marketing campaign can be called successful.
Digital Marketing vs Affiliate Marketing: Key Differences
- In Digital Marketing the focus is on brand building, whereas in Affiliate Marketing the key goal is to generate revenue
- There is no third party involved in digital marketing, usually, whereas the platform is considered a third party business that needs to be compensated for every sale
- Digital Marketing is driven by customer relationship, whereas in Affiliate Marketing the relationship between the merchant and affiliate is primary
- The digital marketing platforms are communication channels, whereas affiliate marketing channels are sales driven
Digital Marketing vs Affiliate Marketing: Which is Best?
- Depending on the need, you could choose between Affiliate or digital marketing, however it is generally advisable to use both channels and find the golden middle ground to drive business growth.
- Focusing on your goals could help you gain clarity on the choice.
- If your goal is to build a brand, then pick digital marketing.
- On the other hand, if you are keen on driving sales, choose affiliate marketing.
Conclusion
Both digital marketing and affiliate marketing have their advantages and disadvantages.
Navigating the perplexing nature of marketing can be made simpler by consulting growth marketers.
Consider taking an opinion to set clear goals.
