Navigating the Wide World of Marketing

Most of us have a basic understanding of marketing. Marketing is a process by which a product or service is introduced and promoted to potential customers with a goal to generate revenue. Every organization needs marketing: businesses, schools, hospitals, non-profits, websites, online games, etc., to achieve their goals. Your business may offer the BEST products and services in your industry, but without marketing, no one will know about said products. In addition, the consumer landscape is becoming increasingly competitive, so marketing is essential to survive in your industry.  

What many students might not understand is the complexity of marketing. Did you know that there are over a hundred different functions of marketing? Between the millions of products and services offered as well as the different target audiences, marketing must be tailored to specific niches. There is no one-size-fits-all view of marketing. Understanding the distinct types of marketing roles can help you navigate the wide world of marketing and find what interests you the most. While there are A LOT of different types of marketing, some are more common than others. Listed below are explanations of a few popular marketing functions.  

Content Marketing: marketing focused on planning, creating, and distributing content. With a goal to create valuable and useful content to promote your business, content includes anything that delivers information to an audience. Between a podcast or a blog post, content marketing is everywhere. It is important that content is tailored to address the interests of consumers in order to build trust. If you have a passionate voice and love researching and collecting information, a content marketing role may be for you. 

Brand Marketing: marketing focused on building an identity, recognition, and affinity. This is a way to promote your product or service by promoting your brand as a whole. What does your business stand for? What is the perception of your business? Brand marketing may convey a business’ values, goals, and communication style. Nike and Disney are prime examples of successful brand marketing; they stand out among the multitude of brands that exist today. I am sure you are familiar with the Nike swoosh and Disney’s mantra “The Happiest Place On Earth,” as are millions of others. If you tend to focus on the bigger picture and love storytelling, a brand marketing role may be for you. 

Social Media Marketing: as an increasingly popular type of marketing, social media marketing uses different social media platforms to develop relationships with consumers, promote brand awareness, and drive traffic. Social media allows brands to reach audiences any time, any day. This function includes managing the brand’s social media platforms through tasks like responding to comments, creating hashtag campaigns, and posting. If you love social media and following all the Tik Tok trends, a social media marketing role may be for you.  

Performance Marketing: a digital marketing strategy driven by results. Advertisers connect with agencies or publishers to place advertisements on performance marketing channels, including social media, search engines, videos, etc. These advertisers pay based on how well their ad performs by measuring the number of clicks, impressions, shares, or sales. This is becoming more common with the rise of technology and the possibility to measure actions from an advertisement. If you have strong analytical and decision-making skills, a performance marketing role may be for you.  

Now, remember, these are only four functions of marketing; according to Splash copywriters, there are 163 different types of marketing! I’m sure you noticed multiple overlaps between these functions of marketing. Again, marketing is complex, with a variety of elements and strategies necessary for success. Companies often use a mix or combination of different marketing functions to drive profit. That being said, it is important to understand the different roles within marketing. If you happen to fall in love with one, you can work to tailor your career development and skillset to prepare. Whether you are interested in a career in marketing or something similar, make an appointment with a career coach to begin (or continue) your professional development journey.  

Photo courtesy of Merakist.  

By Jami Pandiscio
Jami Pandiscio