Digital Marketing & General Marketing Topics 📈

You see the word “marketing” everywhere. It’s on a billboard, it’s a TV commercial, and it’s a sponsored post on your Instagram feed. But what does it all really mean? Today, the world of marketing is split into two big categories: general marketing and digital marketing. While they both have the same goal—to attract customers and grow a business—they use very different tools and strategies. For a Canadian business, understanding the difference is key to creating a smart plan that gets real results.

We’ll break down the differences and show you how to combine the best of both worlds to build a powerful strategy for your business in 2025.

1. What Is General Marketing?

General marketing, often called traditional marketing, has been around for a long time. It includes all the ways you communicate with your audience using traditional media. Think of it as a broadcast: you send your message out to a large group of people and hope it reaches your target customers.

Types of General Marketing

• Print Marketing: This includes things like newspaper ads, magazine spreads, flyers, and brochures. A real estate agent in Toronto might use a brochure to showcase a new condo, or a restaurant might put an ad in a local magazine.
• Broadcast Marketing: This is where you see your ads on TV and hear them on the radio. This type of marketing can reach a huge audience in a very short amount of time.
• Direct Mail: This is when a company sends you a postcard or a letter directly to your home. It’s a very personal way to reach a specific person.
• Outdoor Advertising: Think of the billboards you see on the side of the highway or the posters on a bus stop. These ads try to grab your attention when you’re out and about.
• Event Sponsorships: When a company sponsors a local hockey team or a community festival, it’s a form of general marketing. It shows that the company is a part of the local community.

The main idea of general marketing is that it is often a one-way conversation. A person sees your ad on a billboard, but they can’t immediately click a button to learn more. It’s a great way to build brand awareness and make your business look big and professional.

2. What Is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is all about using the internet to connect with your audience. It’s a newer, more interactive way of doing things. Instead of just broadcasting your message, you can have a conversation with your customers.

Types of Digital Marketing

• Social Media Marketing: This is probably what you think of first. It includes creating posts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. It’s a great way to build a community and talk directly with your customers.
• Content Marketing: You create valuable content—like blog posts, videos, and guides—that answers your audience’s questions. For example, a travel company might write a blog post about “The Best Canadian Road Trips.”
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): You make changes to your website and content to help it rank higher on search engines like Google. This helps people find your business when they are searching for a product or service you offer.
• Email Marketing: You build a list of people who give you their email address and then you send them regular updates, special offers, and valuable content. It’s a very direct and personal way to communicate.
• Paid Advertising (PPC): This is when you pay a platform like Google or Facebook to show your ads to a specific group of people. You can target people based on their location, age, and interests.

The big difference with digital marketing is that you can get a ton of data from it. You can see how many people saw your ad, how many clicked on it, and how many made a purchase. This allows you to track your results and change your strategy in real-time.

3. The Big Differences and How to Combine Them

While general and digital marketing have the same goal, they have some key differences that you need to consider for your Canadian business.

• Cost: General marketing, especially TV and billboards, can be very expensive. Digital marketing can be much cheaper. You can start with a small budget and scale up as you grow.
• Audience: General marketing is often a “shotgun” approach. You hope to hit a few of your target customers in a large crowd. Digital marketing is more like a “sniper” approach. You can target your exact audience and show them a message that is relevant to them.
• Engagement: General marketing is mostly a one-way street. Digital marketing allows for a two-way conversation. You can reply to a comment, answer a question, and build a relationship with your audience.
• Measurement: It’s hard to know how many people saw your billboard and then went and bought your product. With digital marketing, you can track every click, every view, and every sale. This allows you to measure your ROI (Return on Investment) and see what’s actually working.

A Hybrid Strategy Is Best

You don’t have to choose one or the other. The most powerful marketing strategy combines both general and digital marketing. You can use general marketing to build your brand and digital marketing to build a community and drive sales.

For example, a new restaurant in Vancouver could:

• Use General Marketing: Put an ad in a local magazine to get its name out there.
• Use Digital Marketing: Run a social media ad campaign to people in a 5-kilometre radius around the restaurant. They can also use Instagram to post pictures of their food and interact with customers.

This approach lets the restaurant get its name out in the local community while also building a loyal online following that can drive daily business. By understanding and using both general and digital marketing, you can create a complete strategy that works for your business in Canada.