The Difference Between Content and Digital Marketing

A lot of people think that content marketing is the same as digital marketing.

Could you be one of them?

It is obviously true that importance of content marketing in digital marketing is not measurable. This is why a bigger number of people think that these two types of marketing are the same. Yes, they are related but like one of our professor’s says, “content marketing and digital marketing are affiliated but yet they are distinct.”  So what is the difference between content and digital marketing? This article will expound more and try to answer this question in details.

So, let’s learn!

There is no way digital marketing can be dragged and be defined as also being content marketing and yet content marketing is not, only digital.

Well, let’s make that sound simpler.

Digital marketing incorporates the platforms that a company or business makes use of, in order to market itself online. Some of the channels companies and businesses use include;

1. Social media
2. PPC (Ad Words /Bing)
3. Referrals
4. PR (even though it is not digital)
5. Social media platforms that you have to pay for such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
6. SEO
7. Amongst many others.

Content marketing, on the other hand, makes everything we mentioned earlier on efficacious. Content marketing involves two major parts.

They include:

The Content

This part, involves, scheming about the right content which should be produced and the proper format in which the content should be produced in; and

Marketing

It involves, getting the load of the content, using the distribution of the channels which we listed above, for marketing businesses online.

One may view content, as one of the channels for marketing businesses and companies online, but it is better not to view it in that direction. However, there are businesses which have a marketing team that is determined to have a content manager or marketer who is devoted to joining the club.

The reason why we stated that viewing content marketing as its own platform is not proper, is because of the two parts it involves. Basically, they both represent two sides;

• A promotion side; and
• A production side.

To have its message known to the world, content marketing must join effort with the owners of distribution platforms. Therefore, it has to be part of another team, for it to function as it should. Therefore it is safe to say that content marketing considers content as a team activity.

Content can also make an appearance in digital marketing. However, it is necessary to remember that content marketing can operate offline, in the outside world.

It is possible to assume that advertising is not content marketing. Nevertheless, advertising can actually be content marketing since it catches the eye of the public.

Content marketing is sort of a subdivision of digital marketing, while digital marketing is a superset for content marketing since it is part of a bigger group of marketing. This is because; digital marketing involves other marketing strategies such as paid ads, email marketing and also SEO. Digital marketing covers different aspects such as ORM, SSM, and PPC amongst many others. Content marketing is also under SEO and it can be used anytime and anywhere. It does not matter if the business is offline or online. This is what makes content a better method of marketing.

Content marketing is not digital marketing and neither is digital marketing, content marketing. Content marketing incorporates all marketing that is confined to the kind of audience, which you have. The best form of content marketing is actually marketing, that is not only limited to selling a product but also, to teach a client and ensure that it pleases them.

Digital marketing is a new platform while content marketing is an older channel. Content marketing uses more of narrations, which sometimes are old but digital marketing even tries to challenge some of the big channels on the media such as TV, print, and radio. However, in regards to business activities, content market is likely to expand and most of the budgets for marketing are likely to get on board and support content marketing. This might happen since some of the organizations perceive the digital marketing as a channel for distributing and more of engaging platforms.

Digital marketing, on the other hand, operates on any kind of digital platform such as social media, emails and online. This kind of marketing is common today so, it is necessary for you to learn and have full information about the modulations of platforms such as Facebook, Google, Instagram and Twitter among many others. This will help you to attain good results from the digital marketing.

Apart from the much technicality, we can just look at the difference between content and digital marketing in a more practical way. Imagine marketing a car such as "Baleno" and a brand such as "Maruti"? The same case applies to content and digital marketing. Content marketig, can be used to market a product or service. Conversely, digital marketing can be used to market a brand or company.

You should be careful about the content that you post in both the content marketing and digital marketing. The content should be relevant and straight to the point. It should be easy to understand. However, content is a very important aspect of digital marketing. Even though a digital ad is as simple as it can be, it will require content marketing assimilated into it. Therefore, content is part and parcel of digital marketing since the content is what is used to engender leads.

Lastly, someone may even ask if the p-placards on New York City subway are advertising or content. They could be both. Another one may ask if the two are either offline or maybe digital marketing. Again, they could be both. This is because; it entirely depends on the way in which you are weighing the effect. As long as a strategy is effective, should it be of anyone’s concern if, it is offline or online? Therefore, marketers should not really dwell on whether it is digital marketing, offline, content or PR. At times they just want to boost their egos which should not be a priority. Rather, what they should worry more about is the effectiveness of the marketing strategies they use and the success of their businesses and companies.

Jasmeet Singh

Jasmeet Singh is an Entrepreneur, Digital Marketing Strategist, and an active blogger. He is the founder of “The Sharp Brain”, a Digital Marketing Training Institute located in India. He is an active Quoran and an avid reader.

thesharpbrain.com