Essential Concepts in Modern Digital Marketing Strategy

Posted on Nov 9, 2025 in Marketing

Microtargeting: Definition and Function

Microtargeting is a marketing strategy that uses consumer/prosumer data to identify individuals or small groups of like-minded individuals and influence their thoughts or actions. It works much like traditional demographic and geographic targeting, except that it operates at the individual, or “micro” level.

A/B Testing and Multivariate Testing

A/B Testing (Split Testing)

A/B Testing lets you compare up to three different versions of a message for any campaign. You can try different copy, creative, calls to action, or any combination to ensure you’ve designed the best message for each campaign. You pick the size of the test audience to run, and the system determines the winner based on the number of click-throughs, delivering the winning message to the rest of your target audience.

A/B testing is usually employed to ascertain which content or creative variation produces the best improvement in the defined goals of a website, whether that be user registrations or successful completion of a checkout process (i.e., conversion rate). Dramatic increases can be seen through testing different copy text, form layouts, and even landing page images and background colors.

Multivariate Testing in Internet Marketing

In internet marketing, multivariate testing is usually employed to ascertain which content or creative variation produces the best improvement in the defined goals of a website, whether that be user registrations or successful completion of a checkout process (that is, a conversion rate). Drastic increases can be seen through testing different copy text, form layouts, and even landing page images and background colors. Example: In an email, a multivariate test might look like this: One test email uses a more complex template with two CTAs, moderate body text, and no hero image to see which is more effective at driving the click-through rate to the company website.

Purchase-Based Targeting

Purchase-based targeting represents a new method of merging data from the online behavior database with purchase history. It is very efficient but very costly since you have to customize the databases for your specific markets. Companies like Nielsen try to create profiles of “heavy shaving cream users” and low-carb dinner buyers and map this against their online surfing patterns to predict their next purchase across product categories. This happens before the purchase (since it knows what you want to buy and will show you ads for it) based on your previous purchases.

Types of Geolocation Marketing

  1. Geotargeting: “Reach users who were near…” Improved segmentation by pairing with location data. Communicate with anyone who is/was in range. Great for campaigns where the user is regularly associated with an area.
  2. Geofencing (by GPS): A geofence is a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic area. A geofence could be dynamically generated (as in a radius around a point location) or match a predefined set of boundaries (such as school zones or neighborhood boundaries).
  3. Beaconing: The narrowest of the three location-based marketing techniques. A small Bluetooth receiver that triggers messages in nearby devices. Great for knowing if someone is near a specific object/product.

Understanding Audience Types

Imaginary Audience

This concept comes from psychology. These are lies, as we think all people are our audience. In the example of perfumes, it is when a company creates a perfume for men and already believes that all men will buy it.

Invisible Audience

This is a powerful, relevant market niche that is left aside because it does not match the perceived characteristics of the product.

  • 67.43% of the audience that uses Nenuco cologne are older men and women.
  • 32.75% of the audience using baby wipes are people with pets.
  • In the example of Emporio Armani perfumes, the invisible audience is women.

How do we detect our invisible audience? It is not easy. We detect it via surveys or questionnaires.

Micro-Moments: Intent-Rich Decisions

These are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences shaped. A micromoment is a brief, intent-driven instant when a person turns to a device—usually a smartphone—to act on a need: to know, go, do, or buy something. These moments are characterized by high user intent and the expectation of getting quick, relevant answers. In these moments, consumers want what they want, when they want it—and they’re drawn to brands that deliver on their needs.

  • I-want-to-know: When someone is exploring or researching, but is not necessarily in purchase mode. (INFO)
  • I-want-to-go: When someone is looking for a local business or is considering buying a product at a nearby store. (DECISION)
  • I-want-to-do: When someone wants help completing a task or trying something new. (ACTION)
  • I-want-to-buy: When someone is ready to make a purchase and may need help deciding what to buy or how to buy it. (PURCHASE)

Privacy and Security Concerns in Microtargeting

Targeted advertising is a marketing strategy that uses personal data to deliver ads tailored to individual users. Companies collect data from users’ online activities—such as browsing history, purchases, and social media behavior—to build detailed consumer profiles. These profiles help advertisers predict interests and behaviors, allowing them to deliver personalized content that increases the chance of user engagement.

The practice raises major privacy concerns. Data is often gathered without the user’s explicit knowledge or informed consent. This lack of transparency makes it difficult for users to understand or control how their information is used. Targeted ads also raise ethical questions, as they can manipulate consumer decisions, shaping not only what people buy but also how they think and act.

This strategy benefits marketers but can compromise user autonomy and privacy. Understanding how targeted ads work is essential to recognizing the balance between digital convenience and personal data protection in the modern digital economy.

Data Types in Marketing

Big Data (Quantitative)

Quantitative data sets (collected at an extremely large scale) that may reveal patterns and trends relating to human behavior.

  • What, who, and where
  • Large sample
  • Known variables
  • Machine Learning
  • Computer Science
  • Algorithms

Thick Data (Qualitative)

Qualitative data that provides insights into consumers’ everyday emotional lives. It involves a complex range of primary and secondary research approaches, including surveys, questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, journals, videos, and so on.

  • How and why
  • Small sample
  • Unknown variables
  • Human learning
  • Social Science
  • Ethnography (understanding audiences)

Social Media Manager vs. Community Manager

(Note: Content defining these roles was not provided in the original document.)

Social Media Content Strategy

Consistent Cadence

There’s a lot to be said for consistency on social media. In terms of publishing frequency, consistency can help your audience learn when to expect new content from you, and keeping a consistent schedule ensures you maximize engagement.

System of Record (Content Calendar)

Keeping a calendar gives you something to refer to later. You can track back on the updates you posted, and you can review your posting cadence and rhythm from one period to the next.

The Golden Ratio Rule

When positioning on social networks, follow the golden ratio rule developed by Rallyverse. Your content should be a mix of the following: (*Curated means selected*)

The 4-1-1 Rule

This rule refers to a ratio of sharing on social media: 4 educational and entertaining posts for every 1 soft promotion and every 1 hard promotion.

  • 4 SERVE: Community, Holiday, Well wishes, Reshares, Industry trends, People-focused, Safety, Content.
  • 1 SOFT SELL: Links to site, products, services, self-promotion, brochures, downloads, email signups.
  • 1 HARD SELL: Meeting request, call us, contact us, paid-events registration.

4-1-1 Strategy for Influencer Cultivation

For every 6 content shares that you tweet, post to Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., share:

  • 4 posts by your targeted influencer.
  • 1 post which demonstrates your own expertise.
  • 1 low-key pitch for your product or service.

Time-Sensitive Content

Events, holidays, product launches, contests—many of these time-sensitive events can be planned ahead of time and placed on a calendar. Example of bad timing: An automatic email congratulating the unexpected survivors of a terrorist attack from Adidas.

Staple Content

Usual branded content, expected content. Example: Maria Pombo’s staple content is related to maternity, lifestyle, and fashion. Something that is not staple content for her is politics.

Micro-Influencers

Micro-influencers are social media promoters that have smaller followings, typically from 10,000 and beyond. These individuals might have a smaller follower base, but their posts pack more punch due to their engagement levels.

Native Advertising and Branded Content

Advertorials: Ads Disguised as News

Advertisements disguised as news are native ads with a single purpose: getting a specific action from the reader. An advertorial is a form of advertisement in a newspaper, magazine, or website that involves giving information about the product in the form of an article. Usually, a brand pays the publisher for such an article. Advertorials are paid content.

Sometimes, news stories or editorials are often subtle product advertisements, even with a rise of new terms in critical circles, such as advertorials. In other cases, due to large ownership, a news company will advertise another program belonging to the parent network and highlight it as a news story, as some reality TV programs in the USA, such as the Survivor series, have shown. Another example is the hype on ABC News of Disney’s Pearl Harbor movie (Disney owns ABC), which some have even described as propaganda.

Why Use Advertorials?

Placing your advertorial on platforms with brands that align with your target market will ensure the traffic you gain will be full of people who are interested in your product/service. The key factors to consider when placing your advertorial are the collaborating brand’s audience, overall reach, and theme.

  • You are in control: Unlike traditional forms of advertising, when you purchase advertorial space, you have complete editorial control over what is going to be published.
  • Non-intrusive: Advertorials are considered non-intrusive advertising. Many advanced online consumers use ad-blockers, and sidebar advertisements don’t always show up on mobile and other handheld versions of websites.
  • Measurable ROI: If you negotiate a return-on-investment report from your online collaborating partner, they will share the reach and engagement your advertorial receives.

Advertainment: Ads Distinguished as Entertainment

We are also seeing more sophisticated techniques, such as short films where the aim is to sell a product but to cleverly do the advertising in a subtle way. These mini-films can be very entertaining and exciting, but also promote a product behind the main theme.

While it could be argued that there is nothing wrong with this—it is just a more sophisticated way to sell products—a more forthcoming and explicit mention that this is a commercial would be good for more people to be aware of what they are watching. Also, the enormous sums of money that can back up this sort of entertainment versus others can, in the long run, further affect the type and diversity of the content we receive.

Types of Advertainment

  1. Product placement: References to goods and services that are featured in media with promotional intent. Example: A scene from Casa Papel in which Estrella Galicia appears in a clear way.
  2. Product integration: A form of product placement in which the product actually plays a role in the plot of a program or film. Example: The Lego Movie.
  3. Branded entertainment: Entertaining content created by brands to capture the attention of consumers for a prolonged period. (ADVERGAMING) Example: An online game about Cheetos.

Video Marketing and Fashion Films

What is a Fashion Film?

Fashion films usually have an engaging storyline that may not at all be related to fashion or clothes. The clothes are very subtly placed – these films remove the cringeworthy hyping of the products that traditional television commercials follow. Designers and brands often use these films as a platform to present their personality or that of the particular collection.

What & Why?

  • Advertisement + video art + short cinema (a mix of genres).
  • More than a decade old.
  • Different lengths: overtime shorter (2007 around 7 minutes; now less than a minute).
  • Pandemic fashion films increased.
  • Advertisement not for TV: different targets and lengths depending on the social media platform.
  • Content Marketing, not advertisement; this is an emotional narrative.
  • Festivals exist for this genre (cinema + advertisement).
  • Social statement: brands showing they care.

Examples: Vote Audrey and Other Stories video, The Myth of Orpheus Vogue.

Characteristics of Fashion Films

  • Connected to engagement.
  • Always looking for new ways of interactivity with the online consumer.
  • Aestheticism (an own language).
  • Importance of color psychology.
  • Storytelling & serialization (between 3–4 per year).
  • They look for interaction with the spectator (ergodic narratives).
  • Dematerialization of the product: all about identity & values, products with an individual story.
  • Importance of the protagonist (if it’s video dance you need a dancer, not a model, and vice versa) and what you want to express (Prada x Almodóvar).
  • Importance of old aesthetics (Wes Anderson).
  • Vintage: rescued objects.
  • Retro: nowadays objects with previous style, filters.
  • Nostalgia: the emotion.
  • Create a complete experience for the audience, not specific and objective arguments.
  • Music is key.
  • Clothes Subtlety: The pleasing essence of fashion films versus any commercial comes from how the products aren’t overly hyped and sold in the duration of the movie. The clothes in any good fashion film become a part of the entire film – they are seen as another supporting character to the storyline.

Types of Fashion Films

  • Product: Perfumes, short version for TV (3 versions depending on the media). Not direct selling, never a product shot.
  • Everyday life: “Un día en la vida de…” (Fashion TV moved to stories of social media). Between 3–5 minutes. Full of influencers & celebrities. Example: AD.
  • Narrative movies: Important directors, actors & actresses. Very produced; festivals. Example: Lucrecia Martel Shorts.
  • By music: Editing is everything (according to the rhythm of the music).
  • Experimental video: Comes from the video art of the 60’s, pop art, Warhol, contemporary art, installations. Example: Show Studio producer / Miu Miu.
  • Documentary: “How to do a sweater.” 7–10 min. For factories. A lot of macro shots (full of detail), shows the sensuality of the product, the texture.
  • Lookbook: Comes from fashion photography (really useful in the pandemic because of the increase of online sales). Neutral background.

YouTube Video Ad Formats

TrueView Ads (In-Stream or Discovery)

YouTube In-Stream ads play before the posted YouTube video. In-Display video ads appear as a sponsored suggested video in the top right sidebar above playlists and YouTube suggested videos.

For In-Stream ads, a view is defined as a viewer watching at least 30 seconds or engaging with the video. When videos are shorter than 30 seconds, a view occurs if a viewer watches the whole video. For In-Display ads, a view is registered as soon as a viewer clicks to watch the video. The ad platform itself automatically optimizes TrueView video ads for views, not for clicks. Campaigns using TrueView that are focused on clicks tend to be more expensive per click than other ad types.

Pre-Roll Ads

YouTube Pre-Roll video ads are non-skippable and pay per click. Though some video publishers have allowed 30-second Pre-Roll videos, that format is reportedly being discontinued. In actual practice, given the pay-per-click pricing, 15-second videos are typically less expensive per click than TrueView in-stream ads, leading to more cost-effective campaigns. It is important to optimize for clicks when looking to sell a product such as song downloads or merchandise because it is the first step to getting users to your purchase page.

Bumper Ads

Bumper video ads are 6 seconds long. They are non-skippable like Pre-Roll ads but are pay per view like TrueView ads. YouTube Bumper ads combine elements of both of the above ad formats but are best suited to branding campaigns, as are TrueView videos. They are also cheaper per view than TrueView ads. According to a study conducted by Google, they drive a “significant lift in ad recall.”

AI, Data, and Consumer Psychology

AI and Data: Marketing in the Age of Alexa

Quantitative Data and Algorithms

Big data is a broad term that means a “large volume of data, both structured and unstructured.” You may hear the term used widely and loosely to describe any influx of data into a company or organization. Big data fuels artificial intelligence.

  • Structured data is ordered data that is displayed in columns and rows.
  • Unstructured data is any data that is not organized in a specific way, such as Word documents, social media posts, and emails.

Algorithms are a series of steps used to solve a problem. In computer science, algorithms are defined rules used to calculate a function. There are many types of algorithms that are designed to solve different problems. An algorithm may use data from your Amazon purchase history to predict what items you might like to buy next. Or, an algorithm may plot the best and fastest course for a UPS truck to take when it delivers that purchase. Algorithms do this by making sense of datasets through various mathematical strategies.

Qualitative Data (Thick Data)

Thick data is qualitative data (like observations, feelings, reactions) that provides insights into consumers’ everyday emotional lives. Most often collected through ethnographic research methods, it can also be captured during remote usability testing when the mic and camera are turned on. Human data is often non-numerical, or unstructured: focus group feedback, survey responses, social media posts, online comments, handwritten letters, and phone calls, for example; meaning, most big data analysis software can’t handle it.

Neuromarketing: Who Decides for Us?

Neuromarketing is the application of neuroscience and cognitive science to marketing. The strategy gathers information from the human subconscious to determine why consumers choose one product over another. Neuromarketing information is collected by measuring brain activity related to specific brain functions using sophisticated and expensive technology such as MRI machines. Neuromarketing studies human cognitive responses to stimuli in an attempt to create effective commercial campaigns.

  • 95% of consumer decision-making takes place in the subconscious mind.
  • 80% of new product launches fail to deliver predicted sales performance within the first three months.
  • 70% of fast-moving consumer goods purchases are made at the shelf.
  • Subconscious thought processing is 200,000 times faster than conscious thought processing.

Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising

Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH)

DOOH refers to digital media found in public places for advertising or informational purposes. They are generally installed in places of intense traffic and urban movement, with a high capacity for attention and persuasion of the surrounding public. For this purpose, several digital or interactive devices are used, namely digital billboards, multimedia kiosks, and interactive tables.

Traditional Out-of-Home (OOH)

OOH refers to all external advertising communication, considered the traditional communication.

Key Factors of DOOH Advertising

  • More attractive interactions for the consumer.
  • It does not require large investments (relative to reach).
  • Intersection between mobile devices, Internet, and social networks.
  • Flexible, real-time campaigns that fit the target audience.
  • Reaches the public at any time and anywhere.
  • Contents displayed in high quality.
  • Advertisements aimed at specific market segments.
  • Great potential to attract attention and involve the target audience.
  • Promotion of ads with several formats, which end up being more efficient than static ads.
  • Instant access to more product information.
  • Remote content management.
  • Ability to ensure Proof of Play.
  • Audience measurement.

Types of DOOH Screens

  • Digital Screen: Video message medium.
  • Interactive Digital Screen: Video message medium that the user can interact with.
  • Interactive Digital Screen With Face Recognition: Medium that is showing personalized messages based on mobile data.

Guerrilla Marketing

Guerrilla marketing is an advertising approach that borrows the concept of “guerrilla” warfare, or the element of surprise, to communicate with target audiences. This form of marketing relies on unconventional and inventive displays to elicit wonder or shock and can be especially effective for driving publicity.

Characteristics of Guerrilla Marketing

  • Viral marketing
  • Experiential marketing
  • Wild positioning
  • Presume marketing
  • Ambush marketing
  • Ambient marketing
  • Presence marketing
  • Alternative marketing
  • Undercover marketing