Whether you're starting a new business or revamping your digital marketing strategy, deciding where to focus your efforts and, more importantly, your budget can be difficult. Is there such a thing as a "perfect," "one-size-fits-all" marketing strategy that will work for everyone? As you may have guessed, the answer is no. Rather, the best decision you can make is to take an integrated approach that employs a variety of strategies at various stages of the buying cycle. However, this does not make the decision-making process any easier. It can be difficult to know where to begin when deciding which marketing strategies to invest in (your "buffet" of marketing options, so to speak).

Here's a rundown of the most effective digital marketing strategies, as well as when they're most effective.

Search Engine Marketing

What it entails: The practice of directing more traffic to your website through site optimization and paid online ads is known as search engine marketing (SEM). These tools help you stay on top of search engine results pages by bidding on keywords that are relevant to your business or incorporating them into your page content to improve your rankings and relevancy.

When is it most effective: Search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising are always effective strategies. Search engines distribute 96 percent of informational/educational content, and they are typically anyone's first stop when conducting research for a product or service.

Content Marketing

What it is: Content marketing is closely linked to SEO practices, and it should aim to provide information to your users that will eventually guide them through the buying process. You can gain familiarity and trust with future customers by doing so. Blogs, eBooks, case studies, infographics, and other types of content can be created for your marketing efforts.

When is it most effective: Content marketing can be a very effective tool for attracting prospects at the top of the funnel. It makes your brand and business more relevant to customers who are looking for solutions to problems, and it helps to establish credibility.

Also Read: What is Content Marketing and What are the Benefits of Content Marketing Strategies

By tailoring your content to users' specific needs, you can continue to create content throughout the buyer's journey.

Tip: Want to go above and beyond? Share and promote new content on Facebook, Linked In, and other social media platforms that are appropriate for your company.

Social Media Marketing

What it is: social media marketing is a great way to reach out to a larger audience at a lower cost than other marketing methods. You can create both organic and sponsored posts for a business page, much like a search engine, to reach beyond your current followers. When it comes to remarketing, social media is a fantastic tool for displaying new content, services, and products to previous website visitors.

When is it most effective: Because social media allows users to discover new content, it can be a useful tool for expanding your audience by promoting and linking to content on your website. If you have a large social following, you can use social media to interact with potential and current customers, humanizing and establishing your brand's voice.

Email Marketing

What it is: Email has stood the test of time as the preferred method of communication among professionals, and it will likely continue to do so in the future. This means it's a good place to reach out to prospects in a more professional setting and send personalized messages tailored to specific interactions and buying patterns.

Also Read: Reasons and Significance of How Digital Marketing Kick Start Your Business Growth

When is it most useful: Email marketing is a fantastic way to segment your audience based on their actions. You can create lead lists based on those who sign up for more information about your product or service, for example. You can also retarget previous customers to remind them when new shipments of their favorite products arrive, as well as make suggestions for other products they might enjoy.

We hope that these high-level overviews of some of the most effective digital marketing strategies will help you decide where to begin your digital marketing journey. Keep in mind that each of these works best when combined with another strategy (i.e. promoting your content, using social to improve SEO by creating inbound links, etc.)