The difference between social media and digital marketing is that social media have been just one of the accessible channels of digital marketing. Most of the people believe that by engaging in social media they are doing digital marketing, but this isn’t true, as there is various more options that make up a digital marketing effort.
What is Digital Marketing?
According to my definition Digital marketing is: Building brand awareness and promoting products online using digital channels.
The significant parts of digital marketing are:
Internet Marketing – Website, search engine marketing (SEM – incorporates SEO and PPC (Pay per click advertising)), cell phones, mobile markets (i.e. Google Play, Apple Store); email marketing, online banner publicizing and Social Media.
Non Internet Digital Channels- Radio, Television, SMS, digital billboards (indoor and outdoor)
The below image shows exactly the relationship of the diverse components that make up digital marketing.

What is Social Media?
Social media is the trending topic in internet marketing from the last couple of years. The success of the new age social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and so on, changed the way we socialize, associate and shop. This likewise brings new channels to digital marketing.
Some interesting statistics about social media:
To get a better understanding of the impact social media has on marketing, have a look at the below image:

What are the benefits of using social media in marketing campaigns?
There are numerous favorable benefits of using social media for advancing both your online or offline products and services.
It is a quick way to spread your message- If you have huge followers, you just tweet or post and your message can immediately go to your biggest fan base around the world. Actually, social media is the fastest medium (even from TV and Radio) to reach or spread your word to maximum users.
It is good for SEO- Social media can help you increase your ranking as both Google and Bing prefers them.
It is a trend- Social media are trending nowadays and everybody is on it and if you want to connect with your customers you should use social media platforms.
It is one of the best ways to connect with your audience and find out what they want- With social media, customers can show their views on your product or content by voting Like, Tweet, Commenting and Sharing. As a marketer, you can analyze talk with your customers and find out how to make your product or services better.
Digital Marketing VS Social Media
It ought to be clear after reading the definition that social media is important for internet marketing and is a part of digital marketing.
If we compare digital marketing and social media side by side we will find that:
- Digital marketing is way beyond the internet, tries to connect with people in the offline world while social media has restrictions and limited to the Internet boundaries.
- A digital marketing campaign includes Mobile Ads, Internet Advertising, SMS, TV, etc. while a social media strategy may include Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
- Digital marketing can focuses entirely on banners either on the TV, Internet or billboards for promotion while social media is associated with a content strategy.
Which is more important social media or digital marketing?
It relies upon the sort of brand, products or services you want to promote. There are situations where different types of digital marketing will be more fitting to build awareness than social media. Social networking is an unquestionable requirement of every product, brand or services that has a wide group of audience.
For instance, if you are offering a product, social media can enable you to discover new clients, instruct your current clients (by sending them tips and tricks) and keep them educated about new updates, upcoming releases and so forth.
On the other hand, if you’re selling custom tools for agriculturists you can use social media as an asset to discover more about the products; however your main selling point will be billboards ads and Radio ads on rural areas.
What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is the way toward promoting a product or services through the different social networking channels. When all is said in done there are two different ways to perform a social media marketing campaign.
The first way is free of cost and needs to do with a building fan base by running contests, sharing content and engaging with your customers.
The second way is paid and done through PPC (pay per click- paid advertising). You can use Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, etc.