Digital marketing, online marketing, internet marketing, e-marketing—sound familiar? Probably. They seem interchangeable, but when you try to explafin the differences, it can get confusing fast. That’s completely normal—they’re closely related, but not exactly the same.
In this post, you’ll get a clear breakdown of how digital and online marketing compare, where they overlap, and what sets them apart. You’ll also see real-life examples, learn about key limitations, and understand why landing pages play such a crucial role in turning clicks into conversions.
A landing page is often the first real touchpoint between your campaign and your audience. Whether someone finds it through a Google ad, social post, or even a QR code on a billboard, it’s where interest becomes action.
Let’s dive in.
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is the use of digital channels to promote products or services and engage with customers. These channels can be both online and offline.
Digital marketing uses online methods to reach a specific audience. Marketers rely on data to track results and adjust strategies in real time.
Main types of digital marketing include:
- Search engine optimization (SEO) – improving website visibility in search engines
- Email marketing – sending targeted messages to subscribers
- Content marketing – creating useful or engaging content to attract users
- Paid advertising – using platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads
- Website or landing page marketing – optimizing pages to convert visitors
- Social media marketing – promoting content through platforms like Instagram or LinkedI
What is Online Marketing?
Online marketing is a form of digital marketing that uses the Internet to promote products or services. Because of this, it is often called internet marketing.
Online marketing includes well-known strategies such as:
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Social media marketing
- Email campaigns
- Website marketing
- Pay-per-click advertising (PPC or paid ads)
In many cases, online marketing is used as a synonym for digital marketing. For example, Simon Kingsnorth titled his book “Digital Marketing Strategy: An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing”, reflecting this overlap.
Online marketing is also sometimes called e-marketing, though this term can be confused with electronic marketing, which may have broader meanings.
This type of marketing is often seen as the opposite of traditional marketing, which uses offline methods such as printed flyers, billboards (excluding digital ones, phone calls, TV commercials).
7 Key Differences Between Digital Marketing and Online Marketing
Digital marketing and online marketing differ in the channels used, targeting methods, cost efficiency, tracking tools, and flexibility. Below is a breakdown of these and other key distinctions for better clarity.
1. Channels Used
Digital marketing uses both online and offline channels, including social media, TV ads, and digital screens in stores. This allows brands to reach audiences beyond internet users.
Online marketing uses only internet-based channels, such as PPC ads, social media campaigns, and website promotions. Its reach is limited to people with internet access.
2. Consumer Groups
Digital marketing can reach both online and offline consumers, including those not active on the internet—through channels like SMS or TV ads. This makes it useful for targeting a broader or less tech-savvy audience.
Online marketing targets only internet users, which may exclude regions or groups with limited online access. Its audience is narrower but more digitally engaged.
3. Targeting and Personalization
Digital marketing includes offline methods like SMS or digital radio ads, which rely on broad and less precise targeting.
Online marketing allows precise targeting using data such as:
- demographics
- user behavior
- interests
- location
This makes it possible to run personalized campaigns—for example, retargeting website visitors or sending tailored email offers. Online marketing is well-suited for building long-term customer relationships.
4. Application Scope
Digital marketing suits a wide range of industries. Local businesses may use digital billboards, while global brands combine TV and online ads.
Online marketing is more common in internet-based sectors, such as:
- e-commerce
- digital services
- tech
These industries rely on web interactions to reach and engage customers.
5. Cost Level
Digital marketing can be more expensive, especially with offline channels like TV or radio. Producing ads or buying media slots often requires a higher budget.
Online marketing is usually more budget-friendly, offering flexible spending options like PPC ads or social media boosts. Costs can be adjusted in real time, which makes it ideal for smaller businesses.
6. Measurement and Analytics
Online marketing offers detailed, real-time analytics through tools like Google Analytics. Marketers can track:
- click-through rates
- conversion rates
- lead volume
- revenue per conversion
This data allows for quick, informed adjustments to optimize results.
Digital marketing provides strong analytics for online parts, but offline channels (like billboards) are harder to measure. They rely on estimates, not exact data, which limits actionable insights.
In some cases, measuring offline impact requires surveys or expert market research, which adds cost and complexity.
7. Campaign Flexibility
Online marketing is highly flexible. Marketers can adjust campaigns instantly based on performance—for example, pausing or changing a Facebook ad in real time.
Digital marketing is less adaptable, especially with offline elements like TV or radio. Changes often require lead time and added cost, making quick adjustments difficult.
Digital Marketing vs Online Marketing Examples
Let’s look at examples to clearly show the difference between digital and online marketing.
Digital Marketing Example
A digital billboard or a screen ad at a take-out restaurant is an example of digital marketing that isn’t online.
All online marketing is part of digital marketing. The examples below show both types.
Online Marketing Example
One example comes from the Wall Street Journal’s social media campaign. The company goes beyond offline marketing and uses platforms like Facebook. While scrolling your feed, you might see this ad:
It’s a type of online ad called PPC (pay-per-click). You must be connected to the internet to see it, which makes it online marketing.
However, there’s a catch. The same ad can sometimes count as both online and offline, depending on how it’s shown. For example, if you’ve seen a similar Wall Street Journal ad on TV or streaming services, you’ve encountered both forms.
TV ads are part of traditional offline marketing. But when the same ad appears on a streaming platform, it becomes online—since you’re connected to the web. TV ads, by themselves, aren’t even digital.
This case is rare, but it shows how the line between online and offline can blur.
How Landing Pages Fit into Digital & Online Marketing?
Landing pages are a core tool in both digital and online marketing because they allow you to measure performance, personalize messaging, and optimize campaigns based on real-time user behavior.
In online marketing, landing pages are essential for capturing leads, tracking performance, and optimizing conversion rates. They’re tailored to specific campaigns—whether it’s a paid ad, an email blast, or organic search—and give users one clear call to action.
In digital marketing, especially when combining offline tactics, landing pages serve as the bridge between physical touchpoints and digital engagement. A person might scan a code on a subway ad or respond to a text message—and land on a page designed to guide them toward the next step.
In both cases, landing pages aren’t just helpful—they’re the core of measurable, results-driven marketing.
What are the Limitations of Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing faces challenges like high competition, privacy concerns, tech barriers, ad fatigue, and difficulty measuring results—all common in online campaigns. Offline digital efforts add issues like limited reach, high production costs, static content, and complex distribution.
High Competition (online digital campaigns)
Digital marketing is accessible to all, so online spaces are crowded. Small businesses often struggle to compete with larger brands, especially in paid ads where higher budgets win visibility.
Rapidly Changing Trends (online digital campaigns)
Digital marketing evolves fast. New platforms, tools, and techniques appear constantly, forcing marketers to adapt quickly. For example, search algorithms change often, requiring continuous learning and quick adjustments to stay effective.
Dependency on Technology (online digital campaigns)
Digital marketing depends on tech, which can fail. Glitches, software bugs, or platform outages can disrupt campaigns and waste budgets.
Ad Fatigue and Ad Blockers (online digital campaigns)
Users often ignore repetitive ads or block them entirely. Without fresh, relevant content, ad performance drops over time.
Privacy Concerns (online digital campaigns)
As data collection grows, so do privacy worries. Laws like GDPR limit access to personal data, making targeting and personalization harder.
Measurement Challenges (online digital campaigns)
Digital marketing offers lots of data, but it’s not always clear-cut. Attribution issues make it difficult to know which channels drive results, complicating ROI tracking.
Limited Interaction in Certain Industries (online digital campaigns)
Certain industries, especially those targeting older audiences or needing in-person contact, may find digital marketing less effective.
Difficulty in Tracking Engagement (offline digital campaigns)
Offline campaigns rely on estimates for reach and impact. Measuring engagement often requires surveys or focus groups, which are time-consuming.
High Production Costs (offline digital campaigns)
TV ads and billboards are expensive to produce and run. Creative development, media buying, and installation costs make them less accessible for smaller brands.
Static Content (offline digital campaigns)
Offline digital ads, like banners or TV spots, can’t be updated once launched. This limits flexibility and responsiveness to trends or feedback.
Limited Reach (offline digital campaigns)
Offline channels like local TV or in-game ads target narrow audiences. Unlike online campaigns, they lack broad or global reach.
What are the Limitations of Online Marketing?
Online marketing faces fast-changing trends, high competition, ad fatigue, privacy laws, tracking challenges, and limited use in certain industries (e.g., local services).
These are the same issues covered earlier under online digital campaigns. Scroll up for more detail on each.
Turn Every Campaign Into Conversions with Landing Pages from Landingi
Now’s the time to put both online and digital marketing into action. Landingi gives you the tools to start—free of charge. While it doesn’t support SMS marketing or digital dashboards, it offers key pillars of internet marketing:
- A drag-and-drop builder for landing pages, microsites, mobile pages, pop-ups, forms, and more (300+ ready-to-use templates).
- AI tools for content creation, SEO, and image editing.
- Optimization features like A/B testing and behavior tracking.
- Scalability tools including Smart Sections, automated translations, and programmatic pages.
- 170+ integrations with other marketing platforms.
Sign up in Landingi for free and get an inside look at the online (and digital…) marketing realm to learn more and gain the necessary expertise for your future campaigns.
