Online marketing explained: basics to first campaigns
What is online marketing?
Online marketing (also known as digital marketing) encompasses all marketing activities conducted via the internet. The aim is to reach potential customers where they spend their time—on search engines, social networks, in email inboxes, or on websites.
Compared to traditional marketing, it offers three key advantages: measurability (you can see exactly what works), targeting (reaching a precisely defined group of people), and flexibility (campaigns can be adjusted in real time).
The terms 'online marketing' and 'digital marketing' are often used interchangeably in practice. For most businesses, the difference between them is negligible.
Online vs. offline marketing
Traditional marketing uses channels like television, radio, print, or billboards. In contrast, online marketing operates exclusively in the digital space. The main differences are:
Measurability — With online campaigns, you see the exact number of views, clicks, and conversions. Offline advertising's impact is hard to quantify.
Targeting — Online channels target by age, location, interests, or behaviour. Offline reaches a broad audience without the possibility of selection.
Costs — Online can start with a small budget and gradually scale. Offline requires a higher initial investment.
Speed — Launch an online campaign within hours. Preparing a television ad takes weeks.
Interaction — Online allows two-way communication. Offline advertising is mostly one-way.
For small businesses and startups, online marketing is a logical choice—it offers a better cost-to-result ratio and allows you to learn from data.
Main channels of online marketing
Online marketing isn't a single tool but a collection of different channels. Each serves a different purpose at various stages of the customer journey.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
SEO is the process of improving your website's position in unpaid search results. Customers searching for a solution to their problem will come across your page naturally.
SEO is based on three pillars:
Content — quality texts answering users' questions
Technical setup — website speed, mobile version, URL structure
Link profile — links from trustworthy sites to your website
SEO is a long-term investment. Results arrive in months, but once positions stabilise, it generates a steady visitor flow without paying for each click.
PPC advertising
PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is paid advertising where you pay for each click. The most well-known platforms are Google Ads and social media like Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn Ads, or TikTok Ads.
PPC is suitable when you need quick results, are testing new products, want to target a specific customer group, or have a limited-time offer.
Social media
Social media is used for brand building, community communication, and acquiring customers. It's crucial to choose platforms where your target audience is active — not to be everywhere.
Brief overview:
Facebook — broad reach, suitable for B2C and local businesses
Instagram — visual content, fashion, gastronomy, lifestyle brands
LinkedIn — B2B, professional services, recruitment
TikTok — younger audience, short videos, viral content
YouTube — longer videos, tutorials, reviews, educational content
Social media is not just about posting content but building relationships. Respond to comments, reply to messages, and encourage interaction. If you're serious about social media management, consider reading about what a social media expert does and why your company needs one.
Email marketing
Email marketing is among the most return-generating channels in online marketing. Having your contact database is a great advantage — you're directly communicating with people who have already shown interest in your brand.
Typical formats are newsletters, transactional emails (order confirmations, invoices), and automated campaigns (welcome series, abandoned cart, reactivation).
You can find a more detailed overview in the article on the benefits and drawbacks of email marketing for small businesses.
Content marketing
Content marketing is a strategy where you create valuable content for your target audience — articles, guides, videos, podcasts. The goal is not to sell directly, but to build trust and establish authority.
Good content answers specific questions from your target audience, solves real customer problems, and supports other channels (SEO, social media, email). It makes sense to link content marketing with SEO — a quality article can drive organic traffic for years.
Additional channels
More advanced channels include:
Affiliate marketing — partners promote your product for a sales commission
Influencer marketing — collaboration with content creators who have their audience
Video marketing — product videos, tutorials, ads on YouTube or TikTok
Display advertising — banner ads on partner websites
How to start with online marketing step-by-step
Online marketing can seem overwhelming. Here is a practical guide on how to approach it thoughtfully.
1. Define your target audience
Before anything else, clarify whom you are selling to. Who are your ideal customers? What are they solving? Where do they spend time online? Without this answer, you'll waste money on ads that don't appeal to anyone.
2. Set measurable goals
What do you want to achieve with online marketing? Specific goals might look like this: get 50 new orders per month, increase website traffic by 30% within six months, build a database of 1,000 email contacts. Without measurable goals, you won't know if your efforts are working.
3. Choose 1-2 channels
A common beginner's mistake is trying to do everything at once. Start with one to two channels that best suit your target audience and business type. Once mastered, you can add others.
A local café starts with Instagram (visual content, local community) and a Google Business profile. A B2B consultant chooses LinkedIn (reaching managers and executives in companies) and SEO content.
4. Create the basic infrastructure
Before launching campaigns, you need a quality website or landing page to direct visitors to. The website should be clear, fast, mobile-friendly, and clearly convey what you offer and why to choose you.
5. Measure, evaluate and be patient
Set up analytical tools and regularly monitor results. Strengthen what works. Adjust or stop what doesn't. And remember — online marketing is not a sprint but a marathon. SEO and content marketing bring results after several months.
Common beginner mistakes
Trying to be everywhere — It's better to excel on one platform than to be average on five.
Lack of strategy — Without clear goals and a target audience, marketing is just throwing money into the air.
Lack of patience — Most channels need 3-6 months before they show results.
Ignoring data — Without analytics, you're flying blind.
Copying the competition — What works for your competition might not work for you.