The most common types of online marketing

Online marketing is a broad term covering several different strategies, all aimed at getting results for the business. Here are the types that come up most often in campaigns, so you can work out which suits you.

Permission marketing

Strategies aimed at potential or existing customers who have actively asked to receive promotions or information, usually by email or messaging. The response rates are far higher than anything unsolicited, for the obvious reason.

Inbound marketing

One of the most common. It combines search optimisation, content creation and advertising to attract visitors to your site or shop, with the aim of turning them into regular visitors rather than one-time arrivals.

Retention marketing

Achieved largely through effective design: keeping the visitor on the site, moving through it, rather than leaving after a single page. Cheaper than acquisition and consistently undervalued.

Mobile marketing

Campaigns built for phones and tablets, through video, email or messaging. Given how most people now browse, this is less a category than a default assumption.

Relationship marketing

Strategies tailored closely to your audience with the aim of building loyalty and repeat purchase. It costs several times more to win a new customer than to keep an existing one, which is the whole argument for this one.

Which to choose

Most businesses need a combination rather than one. The useful question is not which type is best, but which stage of your funnel is weakest right now.