Advertising and marketing were once the domain of a few powerful people who told customers what they wanted. Customers are no longer told what they want. The pervasiveness of digital technology has empowered the customer when it comes to making purchasing decisions. They tell businesses what they want, how, and when.

Where there is a product or service, there must be a way to get it into a customer’s hands. Some of the primary functions of marketing include planning, promoting, persuading, managing channels and information, pricing, product service management, and selling. Digital marketing offers a unique opportunity to tailor marketing campaigns to target specific customers. If done properly, this can result in a higher return on investment (ROI), which is the ratio of cost to profit. Digital marketing also allows for more scope in terms of branding and public relations through content marketing. However, this also poses risk. The internet moves fast, and reputational damage is possible in a heartbeat if campaigns and digital marketing strategies are not carefully thought out and planned.

The affordances of digital go beyond traditional modes of advertising and marketing. As well as information, digital marketing affords community, connection, feedback, and convenience. This makes digital marketing a powerful tool, if used properly.