Online marketing, also called digital marketing, refers to the promotion of products or services over the Internet and digital channels. It is a central component of modern business strategies and opens up multiple opportunities for communication with potential and existing customers.
Parts of online marketing
- Website marketing: Your own website as a digital shop window – design, content and navigation decide on success.
- Search engine marketing (SEM)Includes SEO (organic optimization of your own website for a better ranking) and SEA (paid ads in search engines such as Google Ads or Bing Ads).
- Content marketingValuable content that provides knowledge and solutions to build a loyal readership.
- Social media marketingPresence and interaction on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or TikTok.
- Email marketingDirect communication via newsletters and personalized news.
- Online advertising: Placed ads on websites, social media or video platforms such as YouTube.
- Affiliate marketingPartnerships with websites or influencers that promote an offer for commission.
- Analysis and tracking: Evaluation of campaign performance with tools such as Google Analytics.
Benefits
Online marketing enables global access to new markets, is often more cost-efficient compared to traditional advertising methods, provides accurately measurable data for informed decisions and allows for quick adjustments and optimization.
Costs
Investing in online marketing varies greatly depending on scope and objectives. Website creation and optimization range from a few hundred euros for a simple appearance to several tens of thousands of euros for extensive online shops, plus hosting, domain and maintenance costs. SEO audits start at around 500 euros, ongoing support can cost several thousand euros monthly; SEA budgets typically range between 500 and over 10,000 euros monthly depending on the competition. Other cost factors include social media marketing, content creation, email marketing tools, online advertising and affiliate commissions. Small companies usually invest 500 to 5,000 euros monthly, larger companies significantly more.