Marketing can be classified into two major forms namely online and offline marketing. Although the types of marketing influence differently, the main goal is to attract the audience. This is mainly done by identifying the audience group and the platform on which the marketing is being done. For example, youngsters and children spend more time on websites and mobile phones while adults and the elderly spend most of their time watching TVs. So marketing is done to cover and attract the audience on the platform.
A wide context of marketing falls under both online and offline marketing strategies. Some of these include:
Content marketing- This is probably the major form of marketing that we get to see. This type of marketing involves creating and distributing content that is relevant and valuable to the customers to attract them. The main objective of content marketing is customer action that is profitable to the company. They help in connecting with the audience on an emotional level to influence their product.
Influencer marketing- This type of marketing is an account of using influencers such as celebrities and important personalities to leverage potential customers into buying products. Influencer marketing has a wide power and contributes to more than 30% of the marketing strategy as per a study. Because people favor celebrities and role models, marketing through them can create an image of the brand on the mind of the customer, and thus can get converted into a sale.
Outbound marketing- These are a wide prospect and encompass a variety of marketing strategies such as TV’s, radios, newspapers, banners, and other forms in the case of offline and Email, social media, and other types in the case of online marketing. This is generally the form of advertising the product from the side of the marketer to the consumer.
Online marketing is the current major form in this age of digitalization and is classified as:
Email marketing- Email marketing is the type of marketing that focuses on interacting and influencing individuals through Email. This method is mainly employed by every company to issue new offers and current trends to customers. This is a very effective method and has a high result with minimal marketing and is cost-effective.
Search Engine Optimization(SEO) marketing- This type of digital marketing works on the basis that certain target keywords or metas, contents, and links when searched can lead to the marketing advertisement. This is termed as organic search in digital marketing and is termed a “win” when the advertisement is reached upon searching those words.
Social media marketing- This method is popular and is widely utilized. Social media such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are used as a platform for writing content about their company, involving and promoting conversations, and even advertising. Recently, these are garnering widespread attention because these platforms have a large audience and can produce great results. Engaging in conversations on these platforms can increase the trending capacity of a product or company, thereby indirectly marketing in society.
Affiliate marketing- This type involves a paid promotion of a particular brand or product on other websites, a person's blog or videos, and other uses. This type is favored when the brands are small or the companies want to influence a very particular group of people.
Relationship marketing- This type refers to the strategies and ideas that segment the consumers into groups to build loyalty towards the product. This mainly incorporates researching the analytics to find out the details of the purchase, database marketing, and behavioral study of consumers to buy a product.
Some of the offline methods to advertise to increase marketing are-
Word-of-mouth- This is perhaps the oldest and the most-trusted method of marketing. Whatever may be presented to a user, a certification from another consumer produces the best influence in buying a product. Studies suggest that word-of-mouth has almost 92% influence in buying a product.
Newspapers and pamphlets- Probably the second oldest method, this was widely utilized and is still in use even today.
Some other forms of marketing are also present but incorporate a broad spectrum into the concept such as-
Green marketing- This involves marketing products that are presumed to be friendly to the environment.
Viral marketing- This is a phenomenon that encourages people to buy a particular product and pass on a particular message or idea. These are incorporated in mass events or fundraiser-type events for doing help.
Guerilla marketing- This is a type of strategy that aims to produce maximum results by utilizing minimum resources. Such methods mainly use ideas such as hoaxes, criticism, and other ideas to effectively drive marketing.