Modern-day companies face fierce, ongoing competition. Being seen, recognized and respected largely determines the success of a business. Building and sustaining a solid reputation is paramount in various competitive arenas.

Successful marketing campaigns drive the visibility and standing of a company. Without marketing, no one would know what a company is, the products or services it offers or how it rises above the crowd.

Marketing is a dynamic industry that enables organizations, companies and startups to connect with existing and potential customers. There are countless career opportunities for qualified marketers.

Various degrees and ancillary certificates focus on analyzing customer behaviors, conducting market research and harnessing brand power to design on-target marketing strategies. You can decide to specialize in one area of marketing or become multi-skilled in all branches.

But what are the different branches or specializations you can study in marketing? This article takes a closer look at these and how evolving technologies influence the field as a whole.

Digital marketing

The internet impacts almost every aspect of daily life. This includes ways of doing business, whether you are providing a service or selling a product.

Even if a business has the best product or service on the market, it means nothing without the right people knowing about it at the right time. If done correctly, digital marketing is a cost-effective alternative to traditional advertising with an unprecedented reach. 

Digital marketing covers every corner of a company’s online strategies to increase brand awareness, reach out to potential customers, generate sales leads, and convert these into a sustainable customer base. This entails the expert use of digital formats such as websites, social media platforms, and search engine optimization (SEO) to achieve marketing goals.

Often, digital marketing consists of teams of specialists, each contributing to an overall campaign. Some members focus on design and overall project management, while others deliver specifics such as research, and written and visual content.

When you enroll in a course in digital marketing, you will learn how to create campaigns for clients. These include knowledge and skills in tools such as Google AdWords, Google Analytics, Twitter and Facebook Advertising, and how to blend written content with video marketing. 

After graduation, students can choose a specific niche, such as social media marketing or content marketing. Achieving an online master’s in marketing through Emerson College will equip you with all the skills that blend creative storytelling, data-driven strategies, campaign development and powerful technologies. Here, you will learn how to merge creativity and analytics to drive marketing innovation.

Content marketing

Content marketing forms the foundation of digital marketing. Without content, you cannot market. This branch is multi-faceted and includes research, strategy planning and coordination, and writing and editing published content.

Promotional copies extend to anything from blog posts, landing pages and advertisements to product descriptions, white papers and e-manuals. These must consider SEO guidelines to ensure placement on search engine result pages (SERPs).

Unique and engaging content that adds value on specified levels builds trust and authority. This leads to connections with current and potential customers, which ultimately results in business growth.

Social media marketing

Social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, are used by millions around the world on a daily basis. They offer immense audience reach and have become a specialized digital marketing focus.

Marketers specializing in social media marketing create and publish engaging social media content. This varies from company announcements and product promotions to industry news.

Social media analytic tools help these marketers to gauge customer behaviors and reception to content to identify gaps and make improvements. It requires careful research regarding tone, voice, and graphics for each target audience. Social media marketers must also engage with audiences through competitions, comments, or direct messages.

Visual marketing

Visual marketing entails the use of video, graphics and images to promote a brand and convey certain messages. Professionals in this niche include graphic and web designers, and video marketers.

Media giants, such as Forbes, have emphasized the importance of having a website. It not only serves as a medium to connect with audiences but also reassures customers that a business is real. A well-designed website is essential to create that first, ever-lasting impression.

Once a website is established, a company can engage the services of video and graphic marketers to add visual value to written content. Merging different forms of marketing often makes a memorable impact.

Search engine marketing

This marketing branch uses SEO best practices to help companies feature on the SERPs. In digital marketing, SEO is the holy grail that filters through to every aspect of marketing specialization.

A bevy of SEO tools helps digital marketers determine the success of things such as paid searches and organic growth strategies. It incorporates targeted content and visual marketing that incorporates keywords and essential links.

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is hiring celebrities, public figures or industry experts to market a company, service or product. These people have strong social followings and this strategy can significantly extend a company’s reach.

Marketers involved in this branch match the influencer to the brand and typical audience of a company. Aligning these aspects increases reception and possible customer conversions.

Brand management

Brand marketers research a company’s target audience to develop the most effective brand strategy. This involves a strong brand persona with a distinct voice and image that are positive, professional and accurate. It also involves keeping a close eye on industry trends to ensure the company stays ahead of the pack.

E-mail marketing

E-mail marketing campaigns reach out to current and potential customers throughout various stages of the buying process. It is an effective way to promote new products or services and engage people through interesting or entertaining topics.

Marketers carefully evaluate the outcomes of a campaign. These evaluations provide benchmarks for future campaigns and identify what works and what does not.

All facets of digital marketing require detailed research. Each campaign feeds into the next and sheds light on audience behaviors, gaps and areas for improvement.