If you’ve been hearing about digital marketing and wondering what it actually is, and whether you can get started as a complete beginner.
You’ve probably seen people online claiming they make four or even five figures a month. And while that can sound exaggerated, I want to share something real: it is possible.
So in this guide, I’ll walk you through how to get started on digital marketing step by step even if you have no experience.
What Exactly Is Digital Marketing?
Marketing in general is the practice of identifying and satisfying customer needs. When you add “digital” in front of it, you’re just doing that same thing, but through digital tactics and strategies online.
Simply put, digital marketing is using the internet to sell anything online, things like social media, websites, email, and more.
And you can use digital marketing to promote:
- A physical or digital product
- An online course or coaching program
- An in-person event
- A community group
The sky really is the limit.
Difference Between Digital Products and Digital Marketing
Let’s clear something up: digital marketing is not the same thing as a digital product.
A digital product is just the thing you’re selling. While digital marketing is how you get the right eyes on whatever it is you’re offering, whether that’s physical or digital.
Steps To Get Started
Step 1: Choose One Area of Digital Marketing to Focus On
Digital marketing is so vast that it’s impossible to become a master of all areas. The biggest mistake you can make is jumping from thing to thing, trying to do it all.
Pick one area and commit to getting really good at it:
- SEO
- Email marketing
- Social media marketing
- Content marketing
- Paid ads
Taking a reputable beginner’s course on your chosen area is absolutely worth it, and something a lot of people skip because they think they can figure it out on their own. Don’t make that mistake.
Step 2: Establish Your Niche
Your niche is the topic you speak about and the problem you solve.
The three most profitable and popular niches tend to be:
- Wealth
- Health
- Relationships
But yours does not have to fall into one of those. When choosing a niche, ask yourself three questions:
- What are you passionate about and could talk about a lot?
- What do you already know — your education and your skills?
- Is it profitable?
Step 3: Define Your Target Audience
Once you have a niche, get specific about who you want to reach.
- Business owners?
- Stay-at-home moms?
- College students?
- Wedding planners?
You want to get really clear on who it is you’re trying to reach, because you’re going to speak directly to them in your content to attract them to you. Do your research upfront, figure out what people are already searching for solutions to online, and who those specific people are.
The key to successfully marketing anything is first identifying a specific person with a specific need. If you’re trying to market to everybody, you’re going to appeal to nobody. But when you get clear on a specific niche audience that has a need you can solve, or a goal you can help them achieve, that’s when it starts to work.
Step 4: Build Your Audience
Now that you have your niche, target audience, and focus area, it’s time to start building an audience. Think of these four strategies as working together rather than separately.
1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEO is an organic form of digital marketing, meaning you’re not running paid ads. Instead, you’re using highly searched keyword phrases strategically in your content, listings, and website so that the algorithm can correctly identify what you’re offering and rank it high in search results.
That way, the right people find you organically when they’re already searching for what you have. There are tools out there that can show you exactly what keyword phrases are most searched within your niche so you can be strategic from the start.
2. Content Marketing
Content marketing is putting content out there consistently, whether that’s on:
- Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook
- Search platforms like Pinterest or YouTube
This is how cold leads, people who have never heard of you, discover you for the first time.
You don’t have to do video if that’s not your thing. You can do:
- Static photos or carousels
- Pinterest graphics
- A podcast
- A blog
If you’re just starting out, don’t overwhelm yourself. Pick one platform you can commit to and be consistent on.
The key is to actually serve your audience. Think about who your ideal customer is and what value you can bring to their daily life. Answer questions they have. Provide solutions. And yes, every now and then sprinkle in a sales post leading them to your offer.
Use Three Content Pillars
A helpful way to stay focused is to choose three content pillars, three themes that all of your content falls under. This keeps your content from feeling random or scattered and makes sure you’re consistently attracting the right person.
For example, if you’re in the health and nutrition niche, your three pillars might be:
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- Meal planning
Everything you post fits into one of those three buckets.
3. Email Marketing
As you’re building your social media presence, always be building your email list at the same time. Platforms are always changing their algorithms and sometimes even suspending accounts, so you just never know.
Content and email marketing work together like a one-two punch.
- Content attracts new people to you
- Email is where you nurture them, go deeper, and make offers that lead to sales
Research has shown that people are six times more likely to click a link in an email than one they see on social media,so this is where conversions really happen.
How do you get people on your list? It has to be a value trade. Offer them something in exchange — a freebie or lead magnet like:
- A quick checklist
- A PDF guide
- A free resource they can instantly download
That value trade is what gets them to sign up.
4. Relationship Marketing
Here’s a strategy people sleep on: instead of slowly building an audience from scratch, tap into audiences that are already built.
This is where you actively look for other business owners or influencers who complement your niche (not direct competitors, but people with a similar target audience) and reach out to collaborate.
Collaborations can look like:
- Shouting each other out to your audiences
- Offering their audience a discount code
- Providing a free product in exchange for a feature
- Sponsoring a post if you have a little budget
The goal is always a win-win; you get exposure to their audience, and they get to bring something valuable to their people.
Example: If you have a baby blanket shop, you could reach out to someone who sells nursery wall art to a similar audience, with no direct competition.
Don’t be shy about reaching out. Send a DM or find their email and pitch a few ways you’d be open to collaborating. You’ll get some nos, but you’ll get some yeses too.
Network With Like-Minded People Too
Beyond brand collabs, networking with people who are learning the same things as you is just as valuable. They’re a safe space to share ideas, experiences, and insights without judgment. You can learn from each other and motivate each other to keep going.
Even just reaching out to someone you respect in your niche to say you admire their work — no agenda — can open doors you never expected.
Digital Marketing Career Advice
As you grow, you’ll hit a crossroads.
At some point you’ll need to decide what direction to take your digital marketing career. There are three paths and none of them are wrong:
Stay a generalist in your focus area, continuing to build broad knowledge and experience. Generalists often grow into managers and leaders, but the trade-off is you never become a deep expert in any one thing.
Niche down further within your focus area. The more specialized you are, the easier it is to be recognized as an authority, and you can typically command higher rates. The trade-off is there’s usually less overall demand.
Expand into complementary areas. Once you’re solid in one area, branch out into areas where your skills transfer naturally. For example, going from SEO into content marketing makes a lot of sense, the skills overlap and build on each other.
Monetize Your Digital Marketing Skills
Now let’s talk about how you can actually make money.
If you have an audience, some of the popular ways to monetize are:
- Digital products and online courses — your own or done-for-you. If you’re thinking of selling digital products, here are some ideas for you.
- Affiliate marketing — sign up for a company’s affiliate program that complements your niche and earn a percentage every time someone purchases through your link. If you’re new to affiliate marketing, here’s a guide to get started.
- User-generated content (UGC) — brands pay you to create videos for them.
But here’s the thing, you won’t earn anything if you don’t establish yourself as someone people know, like, and trust first. That means showing up regularly and consistently with real value.
If you don’t have an audience, you can make money by:
- Selling services instead of products — You offer digital marketing services to businesses or individuals and get paid per project or monthly.
- Digital marketing job — You work for a company and help them grow online.
- Local business marketing — You help local businesses improve their online presence.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Learning from your own mistakes is great, but learning from other people’s is even better. Here’s what to watch out for:
Don’t jump around. Trying every area of digital marketing at once is one of the most common mistakes beginners make. Pick one, get good at it, then expand.
Don’t skip the fundamentals for “advanced” stuff. It’s tempting to jump straight to the advanced strategies, but if you don’t have a solid foundation, none of it will stick. Master the basics first.
Don’t take shortcuts. Shortcuts might seem like they’re working in the short term, but they can wipe out everything you’ve built. Focus on building skills the right way so you can apply them over and over again across any business.
Don’t obsess over things that don’t move the needle. If you’re building a site to practice your skills, don’t spend hours perfecting your logo or font choices. Stay focused on what actually drives results in your chosen area.
Don’t isolate yourself. Going at it alone and never talking to anyone in your field is a real growth killer. Network, collaborate, and build relationships — both with people who are at your level and people who are ahead of you.
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing isn’t about overnight success, it’s about:
- Learning valuable skills
- Showing up consistently
- Building trust over time
If you’re just starting out, don’t overcomplicate it.
You don’t need a huge following. You just need a niche, a product, and the willingness to show up consistently, keep learning, and serve your people.
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