Difference Between Digital Marketing And Social Media Marketing

A majority of small business owners in India do not have a clear idea of the difference between social media marketing and digital marketing. This is quite common because both involve promoting businesses online.

But, they are not the same, and knowing the difference between digital marketing vs smm can help you grow your business better.

In this blog, we explain:

What is digital marketing?
What is social media marketing?
The main differences between social media marketing and digital marketing.
Which one is better for your business?
Why do many people think they are the same?

What Is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is a more broad category that covers not only social media marketing but all kinds of online marketing. It means marketing your business by using the Internet.

Digital marketing includes:

Social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
Search engine marketing (Google Ads)
Email marketing (sending emails to customers)
Content marketing (writing blogs, articles, or videos)
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) (helping your website rank higher on Google)
Affiliate marketing (working with other people to promote your products)
Online ads on different websites

Digital marketing is the overall strategy for promoting your business online using various methods, not just social media.

What Is Social Media Marketing?

SMM involves using social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to market your business.

Here, you connect with your customers by sharing photos, videos, stories, and posts. You can also run paid ads to reach more people.

Think of it like this: Every time you create a Facebook page for your business and post an update or share something, or whenever you upload photographs of your products on Instagram, that is social media marketing.

You are creating brand awareness through social media to engage your audience.

Digital Marketing vs Social Media Marketing

Aspect	Digital Marketing	Social Media Marketing
Where It Happens	Takes place through several channels, including websites, search engines (Google), emails, and apps.	Occurs on social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Types of Content	Includes blog posts, articles, infographics, online ads, emails, and more.	Involves photos, videos, stories, posts, and live videos to reach individuals.
Reaching People	Reaches people through search engines, emails, other websites, and social media, offering a wider audience.	Allows direct engagement with people via likes, comments, and messages.
Goal	Aims at broader objectives like increasing website visitors, leads, sales, and improving search rankings.	Focuses on increasing brand awareness and engagement with the business.
Speed of Results	Takes longer (e.g., SEO can take months) but provides long-term results.	Can deliver quick results through immediate likes, comments, and shares.
Cost	Typically requires a budget for things like Google Ads or SEO services, but brings significant returns over time.	Can be free through organic posts, but ads on social media cost money.

Which One Is Better for Your Business?

Now that you know the differences between social media marketing and digital marketing, you might be wondering, “Which one should I use?”

The answer depends on your business objectives.

Use Social Media Marketing if:

You wish to build a community around your brand.
You want to engage directly with customers through posts, comments, and messages.
You have a smaller budget but want to promote your business online.
You want to share more visual content like photos and videos.

Use Digital Marketing if:

You want to reach a larger audience beyond social media.
You want to rank higher on Google through SEO and attract people searching for your product.
You want to build a long-term strategy for your business.
You want to use multiple online channels to grow your business.

Why Do Many People Think They Are the Same?

Many business owners think social media marketing and digital marketing are the same because:

They both happen online: Both are done on the internet, so it’s easy to confuse them.
Social media is very popular: In India, millions of people use Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. So, when business owners think about promoting their products online, they often think only about social media.
Lack of knowledge: Many business owners don’t know about all the different ways to do digital marketing, like SEO or Google Ads. Social media is easier to understand, so they focus on that.

Why Both Can Work Together

It’s important to know that social media marketing is a part of digital marketing. You don’t have to choose one or the other—you can do both! Using both can help your business grow even faster.

For example:

You can use social media to connect with your audience and share updates about your products.
At the same time, you can use SEO to help your website rank higher on Google.
You can also send emails to your customers with special offers.
With Google Ads, you can still target more people to visit your website.

It is also important to know that social media marketing expands the reach of other online marketing activities to support the growth of your company even further.

Wrapping It Up

Digital marketing and social media marketing are not the same, despite their apparent similarities. Social media marketing is just one part of the bigger digital marketing world.

As a business owner, understanding the difference will enable you to expand your business more wisely and make better marketing decisions.Get started with a digital marketing agency in Ahmedabad for leveraging both social media and digital marketing to make your business successful!

Digital Marketing Vs Social Media Marketing