PART ONE: BEYOND THE LIKES AND SHARES
Many aspiring marketers and business owners fall into a common trap: equating digital marketing with social media. While platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok e.t.c, have become powerful tools in the digital landscape, they represent only a fraction of what digital marketing truly entails. This limited perspective not only stunts growth but also leads to poor strategy, wasted resources, and missed opportunities.
In this series, I shall be debunking the misconception that digital marketing is solely about social media, by revealing a broad (but by no means, exhaustive) spectrum of what digital marketing includes, highlighting various career opportunities, and giving actionable steps for launching and growing a sustainable career in this dynamic field. At the end of this part, I’ll introduce the myth—that you need a formal degree to succeed in digital marketing, and then proceed to elaborate on it in the next serial.
At the end of this serial, it should be clear that digital marketing is more than just social media. The next part of the series addresses the misconception that “you need a formal degree to succeed in digital marketing.”
The Digital Marketing Ecosystem
Let’s start by clarifying what digital marketing really is. At its core, digital marketing is the use of digital channels (not just social media) to promote or market products and services to consumers and businesses. Social media is just one channel among many – which can be put to other uses besides marketing, e.g casual social engagement. For the purpose of this topic, below is a broader view of the ecosystem:
- Marketing Automation (e.g., HubSpot, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign)
- Content Marketing (such as blogs, infographics, eBooks, videos)
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
- Advertising (PPC, Meta ads)
- Direct Email Marketing
- Affiliate Marketing
- Dropshipping
- Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
- Influencer Marketing
- Mobile Marketing
- Web Analytics & Data-driven Marketing
Each of the above components contributes to the success of a digital strategy. To reduce all of this to just “posting on Instagram” for example; is like saying that being a chef is just about using a frying pan.
Use Cases That Go Beyond Social Media
Let’s look at real-world examples of how digital marketing functions far beyond social media.
1. SEO & Blogging (Case Study: Neil Patel)
Neil Patel built a multi-million-dollar business primarily through content and SEO. His blog attracts millions of visits monthly through Google—not Instagram.
✅ Actionable Idea: Start a blog in a niche you’re passionate about. Use free tools like Ubersuggest or Google Keyword Planner to research content ideas.
2. Email Funnels (Case Study: The Hustle Newsletter)
This daily business newsletter scaled to millions of subscribers and was eventually acquired by HubSpot. No viral TikToks, just smart lead capture and email strategy.
✅ Actionable Idea: Create a lead magnet (like a free eBook or checklist) and build an email list with Mailchimp or ConvertKit.
3. Affiliate Marketing (Case Study: Pat Flynn – Smart Passive Income)
Pat made six figures annually just from affiliate marketing—by recommending software tools and courses on his website and YouTube, not by going viral.
✅ Actionable Idea: Review tools or services you use, write or record honest content, and join affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, CJ Affiliate, or PartnerStack.
4. Google Ads for Local Businesses
A plumbing business in Lagos increased appointments by 3x with Google Ads targeting “emergency plumber near me.” No Instagram post could match that urgency.
✅ Actionable Idea: Learn how to run local search ads with Google Ads and offer your skills to SMEs in your city.
The Skills That Really Matter
If you’re serious about digital marketing, start by learning the actual skills that drive results:
| SKILL | WHY IT MATTERS | TOOLS TO LEARN | ||
| SEO | Drives free traffic | Yoast, Google Search Console | ||
| Email Marketing | High ROI (often $36 per $1 spent) | Mailchimp, ConvertKit | ||
| Copywriting | Converts attention into action | Hemingway App, Copy.ai | ||
| Analytics | Measure and optimize | Google Analytics, Hotjar | ||
| Funnel Building | Guides users through a buying journey | Systeme.io, ClickFunnels |
✅ Actionable Idea: Pick one skill, go deep for 30 days. For instance, take a free HubSpot or Google Analytics course and apply what you learn to a real project or client. Click here to get personalized help, guidance and direction to start taking action immediately.
How to Start and Scale Your Career
Starting a digital marketing career doesn’t mean waiting for a big brand to hire you. You can build from scratch.
1. Start Small:
· Offer to help a local business for free.
· Document the results (more leads, better SEO, more engagement).
. Add that project to a portfolio website.
2. Scale Smart:
· Niche down: specialize in helping realtors, fitness brands, or educational platforms.
· Join freelance marketplaces: Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour.
· Build a personal brand: Share case studies, lessons learned, and results on LinkedIn, X, or Medium.
✅ Actionable Idea: Treat your own brand like your first client. Set up a website, post weekly content, run small ad tests, and track your own KPIs. Click here if you need help getting started with this.
CONCLUSION:
A World Beyond the Feed
Social media is a valuable tool—but it’s just that, a tool. True digital marketers understand the strategy behind the tools, and they integrate multiple channels to get results. The most powerful results don’t come from trends, but from data, customer understanding, and clear messaging.
So, the next time someone tells you digital marketing is all about Instagram or TikTok, smile—and remember the email funnels, SEO blogs, PPC campaigns, and marketing automations working quietly in the background, generating real money.
But what about education? What if you don’t have a degree in marketing?
That’s the next big myth I’m going to tackle. In the next article, I’ll uncover why not having a formal degree is not a limitation but a potential advantage in your digital marketing journey, and how you can build credibility, skill, and authority without a university certificate. Click here to read it