Digital Marketing vs Social Media Marketing
Digital Marketing vs Social Media Marketing
If you’ve ever searched online about how to grow your business, you’ve probably come across terms like digital marketing and social media marketing. At first, they might sound the same, both involve using the internet to promote your business. But actually, they are a bit different, and each one has its own purpose.
Today, we’ll try to cover it down for you in the simplest way. We’ll explain what each term means, how they work, and which one might be better for your business. If you’re just starting out and want to learn the basics of digital marketing vs social media marketing, you’re in the right place.
Let’s make it easy to understand, no confusing words, no marketing jargon, just clear, helpful information.
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing means promoting your business using the internet and digital tools. It’s all about reaching people online where they already spend a lot of their time.
Think about this: when someone searches on Google, watches videos on YouTube, checks emails, or reads blogs, digital marketing can help your business show up in those places.
In simple words
Digital marketing is a smart way to get your products or services in front of the right people using the internet.
Examples of digital marketing
- Running ads on Google
- Writing blogs for your website
- Sending emails to your customers
- Creating helpful videos
- Showing your business on Google Maps
- Even using social media (yes, social media is part of digital marketing!)
It helps businesses grow by:
- Getting more visitors to their website
- Reaching people who are already interested
- Turning those visitors into real customers
So, when we talk about digital marketing vs social media marketing, remember social media is just one part. Digital marketing is the bigger picture!
What are Digital Marketing Tools?
Digital marketing tools are the apps, websites, or software that help you do marketing online more easily and effectively. Think of them like a toolbox for your online business. They save time, help you reach more people, and track how well your marketing is working.
Why do you need these tools?
Because doing everything by hand can take a lot of time and effort. These tools help you:
- Create content
- Post on different platforms
- Run ads
- Send emails
- Check your performance
- And stay organized!
Some common digital marketing tools include:
- Google Analytics – helps you see who visits your website and what they do there
- Mailchimp – great for sending marketing emails and newsletters
- Canva – helps you design eye-catching social media posts or banners
- Google Ads – used to run ads on Google search and websites
- Yoast SEO – a tool that helps you improve your blog posts for Google
- Hootsuite / Buffer – let you schedule and manage your social media posts
These tools support every part of your online marketing from planning and creating to publishing and measuring.
What is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing means using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter (now called X) to promote your business.
It’s all about connecting with people where they spend a lot of their time scrolling through posts, watching videos, liking pictures, and sharing content.
In simple words:
Social media marketing helps you talk to your audience, build trust, and grow your brand using platforms they already love.
What can you do with social media marketing?
- Share posts about your products or services
- Run ads to reach new people
- Talk to customers in comments or messages
- Show behind-the-scenes of your business
- Use stories, reels, and videos to catch attention
- Build a loyal community that follows and supports you
It’s great for creating brand awareness, getting more people to visit your website, and even increasing sales.
When comparing digital marketing vs social media marketing, remember: social media marketing is a part of digital marketing but it only focuses on social platforms. Digital marketing includes more channels like email, search engines, and websites too.
Essential Pillars of Social Media Marketing
To succeed in social media marketing, you need to do more than just post pictures or videos. There are a few key things (or “pillars”) that help you get real results. Think of these pillars as the strong foundation that supports your entire social media strategy.
Here are the 5 essential pillars of social media marketing:
1. Strategy
Before you start posting, you need a plan. Ask yourself:
- What are my goals? (More followers, more sales, more website visits?)
- Who is my target audience?
- Which platforms should I focus on (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)?
A clear strategy gives you direction and helps you stay focused.
2. Content Creation
This is what you share with your audience. Good content should be:
- Interesting
- Helpful
- Fun or inspiring
- Related to your business
Use a mix of posts images, videos, quotes, tips, behind-the-scenes, and customer reviews. Make sure your content speaks your brand’s voice.
3. Engagement
Social media is not just for talking, it’s for listening and interacting too.
Reply to comments, answer questions, and thank people for their support. This builds trust and makes your audience feel valued.
4. Advertising (Paid Ads)
Sometimes, just posting is not enough that’s where ads come in.
Social media platforms let you run ads that target specific people based on their age, interests, location, and more.
Even with a small budget, paid ads can help you reach more people faster.
5. Analytics and Improvement
Always check how your posts and ads are doing.
Look at things like:
- How many people saw your post?
- Did they like, share, or comment?
- Did they visit your website or buy something?
By checking your results, you can learn what works and do more of it!
Digital Marketing vs Social Media Marketing
Many people think digital marketing vs social media marketing are the same. But while they are closely related, they are actually different. Let’s make it easy to understand.
What’s the difference?
- Digital marketing is the big picture. It includes everything you do to promote your business online like using Google, emails, websites, blogs, videos, and also social media.
- Social media marketing is just one part of digital marketing. It focuses only on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and others.
Think of digital marketing like a big toolbox. Social media is just one of the tools inside that box.
Let’s break it down with a simple comparison
| Feature | Digital Marketing | Social Media Marketing |
| Channels | Websites, Google, Email, YouTube, Social Media | Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc. |
| Goal | Get traffic, leads, and sales from all over the internet | Build relationships and grow your brand through social platforms |
| Reach | Very wide – through search engines, emails, etc. | Focused on social media users only |
| Speed of Results | Some channels (like paid ads or SEO) give faster leads | Slower, but great for long-term brand growth |
| Cost | Can be high depending on tools and ads used | Often lower to start, but still needs time and effort |
A quick example:
Let’s say you own a small coffee shop:
- If you post fun videos of your drinks on Instagram, that’s social media marketing.
- If you also run Google Ads, write blog posts, and send email offers, that’s digital marketing.
Both can work well together. But now you can clearly see the difference between digital marketing vs social media marketing.
Social media marketing vs. digital marketing: Which is better for your business?
Now that you know the difference between digital marketing vs social media marketing, you might be wondering which one should you choose for your business?
The truth is… it depends on your goals, your audience, and your budget. Let’s help you decide by looking at some simple points.
Choose Social Media Marketing if:
- You want to build your brand and connect with your audience in a fun and personal way
- Your target audience spends a lot of time on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok
- You have limited budget but want to grow slowly and organically
- You enjoy creating content like photos, videos, stories, and reels
- You want to grow a community around your brand
Social media is perfect for small businesses, startups, and creators who want to be seen and remembered by the public.
Choose Digital Marketing if:
- You want to grow faster and reach people across many online channels (Google, email, ads, etc.)
- You need to drive more traffic to your website or online store
- You want to improve your search engine ranking (SEO) so people can find you on Google
- You want to use email marketing, Google Ads, and blogging along with social media
- You are ready to invest a bit more for bigger, long-term results
Digital marketing is a complete online strategy that helps you attract new customers, convert leads, and build loyalty.
Best Option? Use Both Together!
You don’t have to choose just one. The smartest businesses use both digital marketing and social media marketing together.
For example:
- Share helpful blog content (digital) on Instagram and Facebook (social)
- Use email newsletters (digital) to follow up with social media followers
- Run Google Ads (digital) and retarget them with Facebook Ads (social)
By combining both, you get more reach, better results, and stronger brand visibility online.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between digital marketing vs social media marketing can really help you make better decisions for your business.
To keep it simple:
- Digital marketing is the full package; it includes everything from Google search and emails to paid ads, websites, blogs, and social media.
- Social media marketing is just one part of that package focused only on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others.
Both are useful, but they do different things. Social media helps you build relationships and grow your brand. Digital marketing gives you more ways to reach customers, bring them to your website, and turn them into buyers.
At the end of the day, the best choice depends on your business goals, your audience, and how you want to grow. Many businesses see the best results by using both together.
Ready to Grow Your Business Online?
At Be Ranky, we make digital marketing simple, smart, and stress-free just the way it should be. If you’re just starting out or want to take your business to the next level, our team is here to help.
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. We listen, we plan, and we create the right online marketing strategy for your business if that’s social media marketing, SEO, Google Ads, website design, or a mix of everything.
- Want more traffic, leads, and customers?
- Need help getting noticed on Instagram or Google?
- Not sure where to begin with digital marketing?
Let’s talk!
Contact Be Ranky today for a free consultation.
We’ll guide you every step of the way, no fancy words, just real results.
