Eye-Opening Beginners Guide: How to Grow Your Business With Digital Marketing
What Is Digital Marketing and How Can It Help Your Business?
Digital marketing is how people find, evaluate, and decide to trust a business online.
If someone searches for a service, visits a website, reads reviews, clicks an ad, or compares options before reaching out, digital marketing is already influencing that decision. Whether your business operates online, offline, or somewhere in between, digital marketing shapes how visible you are and how credible you appear.
For business owners new to digital marketing, the challenge isn’t opportunity—it’s understanding what actually matters and what can safely be ignored.
What digital marketing actually includes
At its core, digital marketing is a combination of strategies that help your business show up in the right places, with the right message, at the right time.
This often includes things like:
• your website and how clearly it communicates
• search visibility through SEO
• content that educates or builds trust
• paid media that accelerates visibility
• analytics that show what’s working and what’s not
The tools vary, but the purpose stays the same: to support your business objectives.
Digital marketing isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things in the right order.
How digital marketing helps your business
When digital marketing is done well, it creates clarity—for both you and your customers.
It helps potential customers understand:
• what you do
• who you help
• why they should choose you
For you as a business owner, it provides visibility into what’s driving interest, where leads are coming from, and how people are interacting with your business before they ever contact you.
That insight allows you to make better decisions, invest more confidently, and build momentum instead of guessing.
Paid growth, organic growth, or both
There’s no single “best” digital marketing approach.
Some businesses benefit from paid media that delivers faster feedback and immediate visibility. Others focus on organic strategies that build long-term demand and credibility over time. Often, the strongest results come from using both—short-term precision paired with long-term momentum.
The right mix depends on your goals, your timeline, and your budget.
From there, the strategy takes shape.
What digital marketing is not
Digital marketing isn’t about chasing trends, posting everywhere, or copying what competitors are doing.
It’s not about vanity metrics or complicated dashboards that don’t tie back to real outcomes.
And it’s definitely not about forcing a business into a one-size-fits-all system.
Effective digital marketing starts with understanding what you want to achieve, then selecting the tools and strategies that support that outcome.
Why clarity comes first
Before tactics, platforms, or spend, the most important step is defining the objective.
More leads. Stronger demand. Greater visibility. Sustained growth.
Once that’s clear, digital marketing becomes far less overwhelming—and far more effective.
That’s when it stops feeling like a cost and starts functioning like a business asset.
Common Questions About Digital Marketing
Q: What exactly does digital marketing do for a business?
A: Digital marketing helps people find your business, understand what you offer, and decide to trust you before they ever reach out. It supports visibility, credibility, and lead generation in a measurable way.
Q: Is digital marketing necessary for small or local businesses?
A: Yes. Most customers research online before making a decision—even when the transaction happens offline. Digital marketing ensures your business shows up during that research phase.
Q: How is digital marketing different from traditional marketing?
A: Traditional marketing focuses on broad exposure. Digital marketing allows you to target specific audiences, track performance, and adjust based on real data rather than assumptions.
Q: Do I need to use every digital marketing channel?
A: No. The goal isn’t to do everything—it’s to do what supports your business objectives. A focused strategy is almost always more effective than spreading effort across too many platforms.
Q: How long does it take for digital marketing to work?
A: Paid strategies can generate results quickly, while organic strategies take longer but build lasting momentum. Many businesses benefit from using both together.
Q: What’s the first step before starting digital marketing?
A: Clarity. Defining what you want to achieve—whether that’s more leads, greater visibility, or sustained growth—makes every decision that follows more effective.
Who is Chris Aseltine?
Chris Aseltine is a freelance digital marketing strategist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He specializes in SEO, inbound marketing, paid media, brand awareness, and lead generation for businesses looking to grow with clarity and intention. With a background in psychology and marketing from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, Chris helps business owners define their objectives and build digital strategies that support real, measurable growth. He works directly with clients to deliver thoughtful strategy, clean execution, and marketing that stays aligned with business goals.
