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Simplified Digital Marketing: A Step-by-Step Guide

A lot is said about Digital Marketing, but is it just another buzzword that comes and goes, or is it something businesses should genuinely pay attention to?

In our view, digital marketing is no longer optional — it’s essential.

Consumers have always been at the centre of marketing, but their behaviour has changed dramatically. We are witnessing a shift from a Mass Market model to a Customer Network model.

In the past, companies were at the centre of communication, broadcasting one-way messages, interrupting consumers to capture attention and persuade them to buy. Consumers played a mostly passive role.

Today, consumers are networked, informed and vocal. Messages spread instantly, and a single customer interaction can be seen by hundreds of others, shaping perceptions of a brand — positively or negatively.

That’s why mastering the digital world is fundamental for any business today.
You may have heard the expression: “If you’re not online, you don’t exist.”
But simply being present is not enough. Without a clear and well-managed strategy, digital marketing can even have negative consequences.

Table of Contents

1. What is Digital Marketing?

2. What is Inbound Marketing?

3. What is Outbound Marketing?

1. What Is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing refers to the actions taken to promote and sell products or services through online channels, such as social media, search engines, websites, apps and email.

A common definition describes digital marketing as advertising delivered through digital channels. But this raises an important question: what exactly counts as “digital”?
Phone calls? Digital billboards? Streaming TV? Offline sales driven by online strategies?

Because of this, many experts argue that digital marketing doesn’t exist as a separate discipline — marketing exists, and digital is simply one of its execution channels.

In essence, digital marketing is just marketing.

The core principle of marketing remains the same:

Deliver the right offer, at the right time, in the right place.

Today, that place is largely online. Customers are scrolling social networks, reading blogs, watching videos and searching on Google.

Within digital marketing, two fundamental approaches stand out:

• Inbound Marketing – attracting customers so they come to you
  
  

• Outbound Marketing – actively reaching out to customers
  
  

To retain customers, you must first attract them. And online, that usually happens in one of two ways:

• You pay to reach them (Outbound)

• You create value that attracts them organically (Inbound)

2. What Is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound Marketing focuses on creating valuable content that attracts people to your brand naturally.

People are already online:

• researching industries

• comparing competitors

• trying to decide if they need a product or service
  
  

Inbound marketing meets people where they already are, with content that answers their questions at different stages of the buying journey.

By aligning your content with your audience’s interests and needs, you naturally:

• attract traffic

• convert visitors into leads

• turn customers into brand advocates

3. What Is Outbound Marketing?

Outbound Marketing is the opposite approach.

Here, the company initiates the conversation and pushes messages to an audience. Traditional examples include:

• TV and radio advertising

• Print ads (newspapers, magazines, brochures, catalogues)

• Trade shows and events

• Cold calls

• Spam emails
  
  

Outbound marketing is typically harder to track and less cost-efficient than inbound marketing. Yet, many organisations still allocate the majority of their marketing budgets to outbound tactics.

Digital Marketing Tools and Channels

Both inbound and outbound strategies rely on a variety of tools, including:

• Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC / SEA)

• Content Marketing

• Social Media Marketing (SMM)

• Affiliate Marketing

• Email Marketing
  
  

Each of these channels can play a role depending on business goals, budget and maturity.

One of the biggest advantages of digital marketing is that it levels the playing field.
Small and medium-sized businesses can compete with large brands in ways that were impossible in the past.

Today, a small clothing shop can sell online alongside global giants like Zara or H&M — or even discover niche opportunities those brands overlook, at a cost they can afford.

Digital marketing is not just the future — it is the present. It allows businesses to:

• measure results accurately

• understand what works and what doesn’t

• continuously optimise performance

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing offers powerful tools to help businesses grow, compete and connect with their audiences. When used strategically, it provides clarity, efficiency and measurable impact.

Need help building or optimising your digital marketing strategy?
Link37 is the right partner. We help businesses design, execute and optimise digital strategies — so you can focus on what matters most.