Digital Branding and Digital Marketing — Yes, They’re Both Important

Consumer attention has moved online. Today, instead of plastering shopping centers with posters and crowding magazines and mailboxes with ads, we shout over one another on our customers' computers, tablets, and mobile devices (for better and worse).

We send email campaigns every month or every week. On our website, social media, and search engines, we run regular advertising campaigns. We also use Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok influencers to market our products.

Because of all the digital noise, consumers are growing more and more used to tuning out  marketing messages — labeling many as insincere, pushy, or irrelevant. But your job, as a marketing expert is still the same: you need to capture new leads and convert them into customers.

Fortunately, there is a really simple solution to this. It's all about incorporating digital branding into your strategy.

What Is Digital Branding?

Using digital assets to create a brand identity that can be expressed on virtually any digital channel, including your website, social media profiles, digital ads, and content marketing — that’s digital branding. Digital branding can be used to create richer digital marketing campaigns and create a powerful presence on the internet.

So, What’s the Difference Between Digital Marketing and Digital Branding?

Because of their similarities, many people find it difficult to distinguish between digital marketing and digital branding. So, here’s the scoop:

The purpose of digital marketing is to capture leads and sell products. Digital branding helps build relationships and engage customers so you can convert them to dedicated customers/consumers.

In both cases, the end goal is to grow the customer base and maintain a healthy sales level. However, digital branding involves a different process. In addition to highlighting the product's benefits, it also showcases the brand's overall impact. A brand's values and culture are portrayed in its logo and design, mission statement, and culture, and a connection is implied between those elements and the products it sells.

How Do Digital Branding and Digital Marketing Work Together?

Digital branding and digital marketing overlap and influence each other.

Creating and maintaining your digital brand is the primary function of digital marketing. By using it, you can share your brand identity and values in online spaces like Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

To make digital marketing as effective as it can be, you must first create your digital brand. The reason is simple: digital branding gives your organization a face and an identity. Customers will be able to see more than "just an ad" when they come across one of your social media campaigns or Google ads.

It creates a deeper connection between your brand and your customers, making them more likely to pause and listen to what you have to say, instead of frantically clicking the "skip ad" button when one of your ads interrupts their YouTube video. (They may still only be patient for a few seconds, but during those few seconds, you have their attention.)