What Is Marketing? · Part 1

    The Types of Marketing, Explained Simply

    Marketing comes in two big families. Traditional marketing reaches people through paper, airwaves, signs and handshakes. Digital marketing reaches people through screens: websites, search engines, social apps, video and email.

    By John Frazee, Founder of Love.Marketing · Updated October 26, 2026

    Neither family is "right." The difference that matters most to a business owner is how easily you can see what you got for your money.

    Traditional marketing

    TypeWhat it isGood forHow you measure it
    PrintNewspaper and magazine ads, brochures, flyersOlder audiences, local credibilityCoupon codes, tracking numbers
    Direct mailPostcards and letters mailed to a listTight geographic areas, offersResponse rate, unique offer codes
    OutdoorBillboards, signs, vehicle wrapsName recognition on busy routesHard to measure; a tracking number or short URL helps
    RadioSpots on AM/FM stationsCommuters, repeated reachTracking number, lift in searches for your name
    TelevisionLocal or national TV spotsBroad awarenessReach estimates, lift in searches for your name
    Public relationsEarned coverage in news and mediaReputation and trustMentions, referral traffic
    Events and trade showsBooths, sponsorships, community eventsFace-to-face relationshipsLeads collected per event
    Word of mouth and referralsCustomers recommending youTrust that money cannot buyAsk "how did you hear about us?"

    Digital marketing

    TypeWhat it isGood forHow you measure it
    WebsiteYour home base onlineTurning interest into calls and formsVisits, calls, forms, bookings
    SEOEarning unpaid rankings in Google and BingLong-term, compounding leadsRankings, organic visits, leads
    Local SEO and Google Business ProfileShowing in map results near the searcherService-area businessesProfile calls, direction requests, leads
    Paid searchAds in search results (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads)People ready to buy nowCost per lead, cost per sale
    Social media (organic)Posting on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedInVisibility and credibilityReach, engagement, profile visits
    Paid socialAds on Meta, TikTok and othersTargeting by area and interestCost per lead, conversions
    Video and YouTubeVideo content and video adsTrust and explanationViews, watch time, assisted leads
    Email and textMessages to people who opted inRepeat business, follow-upOpens, clicks, bookings
    Content marketingArticles, guides, how-tosAnswering buyer questionsOrganic visits, leads from content
    AI search (GEO)Being cited in AI answers like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPTThe next wave of searchMentions, citations, referral visits

    Where audiences are now

    Some numbers to keep in mind when you choose:

    • YouTube is used by 84% of U.S. adults and Facebook by 70%, per Pew's 2026 survey (Pew Research Center).
    • Google handled about 85% of U.S. searches in September 2026 (StatCounter).
    • Radio still reaches a large audience: 82% of Americans 12 and older listened to AM/FM in a given week in 2022, down from 92% in 2009 to 2013 (Pew Research Center).
    • U.S. weekday newspaper circulation was about 20.9 million in 2022, down from 63.3 million at its 1984 peak (Pew Research Center).
    • Google's AI Overviews had more than 2.5 billion monthly users by May 2026 (Google), and OpenAI reported more than 900 million weekly ChatGPT users in February 2026 (OpenAI).

    The takeaway

    Traditional channels still work, especially for reach. Digital channels win on proof: you can see the call, the form and the sale they produced. That is why we build on digital first and add traditional media once there is a measurable home for the attention it creates. See the right order to market a business.

    Curious which of these we run for you, and which we refer out?

    See what we cover

    Keep reading

    NextWhat We Cover (and Don't)Guide homeWhat Is Marketing?

    Sources

    1. Pew Research Center · pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media
    2. StatCounter · gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share/all/united-states-of-...
    3. Pew Research Center · pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/17/for-national-radio-day-key-f...
    4. Pew Research Center · pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/newspapers
    5. Google · blog.google/innovation-and-ai/sundar-pichai-io-2026
    6. OpenAI · openai.com/index/scaling-ai-for-everyone