If you look up “marketing” in any search engine, you’ll find an array of pages all touting different things. From marketing strategies to content marketing to affiliate marketing, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know what the heck anyone’s talking about.
Because marketing covers such a broad scope, it’s challenging to pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.
So let’s simplify it.
What’s the definition of marketing?
According to Oxford Languages, we can define marketing as “the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.”
This definition is perfect because it acknowledges that while marketing and advertising are under the same umbrella, they aren’t synonymous.
Wait… there’s a difference between marketing and advertising?
In short, yet! Advertising’s a component of marketing, but it doesn’t encompass every aspect.
Marketing identifies who the dream clients are, what their needs are, and how a brand can help to fulfill those needs. Advertising works in tandem by then promoting the products or services that come from the discoveries from marketing.
Then what are the different types of marketing?
As far as different pieces of the marketing pie, we could write a college textbook on that. But you don’t want that, and neither do we. That’s why we’re going to hit the basics today.
5 standard marketing terms we’d like to introduce you to
1. Inbound marketing, aka content marketing
This is how you cultivate relationships. Think of things like your email list, blog, podcast, social media platforms—pretty much anything you create that provides value and a sense of community. This strategy is perfect for building relationships with your audience and warming them up for conversion.
2. Buyer persona
A persona is a fictionalized version of your dream client. You might have a couple to diversify who you’re marketing to. Personas can help you better understand what your clients are thinking, hoping, and even angry about.
3. Unique selling point (USP)
What’s the secret sauce of your brand? Your USP is what differentiates you from the rest. Example: Head & Shoulders is clinically proven to reduce dandruff. It’s succinct yet potent.
4. Pay-per-click (PPC)
A digital marketing model is where a brand places an ad on a website and then pays for said website whenever a user clicks on their ad. This is best practiced on search engines like Google (y’know those link suggestions at the top of your search results? Those are PPC ads!)
5. Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
These put your marketing efforts into quantifiable goals to determine your progress. For example, if your goal was to increase brand awareness, your KPI might be to increase your reach by 15%.
It can be a lot to take in at once if you’re new to the marketing scene. There are so many aspects that even professional marketers are learning every day. Stay tuned for our upcoming posts to make marketing a little less daunting and a whole lot more impactful.
