Interactive Marketing seems to get increasingly multi-faceted every day.  As the digital space evolves, it becomes harder to be an expert in all of the categories and sub-categories.  As it grows, we can further define the contents of Interactive Marketing, as we will document below.

So, this is my “work in progress” definition of Interactive Marketing.  More categories may be added of course, and I may even edit and/or add to the definitions.  Keep posted and comment if you feel differently or want to add!

While digital agencies have been great at offering services on the multiple facets, it will become more important for these agencies to either collaborate with other agencies’ expertises or simply specialize.

Examples of some of these categories of Interactive Marketing are below:

Ecommerce:  Interactive Marketing contributes to ecommerce and retail customer conversion by getting the customer to the Sales Funnel via multiple interactive etiologies.  Ecommerce is normally comprised of a shopping cart connected to a form of payment.  Payment can be checks, credit(invoice), or credit cards connected to merchant gateways which connect a payment with the retailer’s bank account.

Lead Generation:  Interactive Marketing tactics, via various channels help to generate leads for customer conversions.

Pre-Offer Marketing (Including Search Engine Optimization and Marketing):  Provides a way to get potential customers to your offer.  Considered a part of Lead Generation leading to possible Customer Conversion

Analytics:  At the core of Interactive Marketing, are key performance metrics which help marketers understand how a particular campaign is performing.  Normally generic code is placed on all pages with a specially-coded set of variables indicating progress in funnels of certain actions.

Landing Pages:  Interactive Marketing allows the key focus of marketing messages leading to actionable and measurable outcomes.

Multivariate & A/B Testing:  MVT and A/B Testing allows Interactive Marketing professionals the opportunity to test either two or more differing pages against one another (A/B) or pages with different content blocks (MVT), with both leading towards a desired action.

Email Marketing:  This allows interactive marketing strategists the opportunity to reach a segmented list of customers or leads via their email address.  Strategically presented offers and calls to actions are embedded in the email.

Social Media:  As a major pool of possible customers and clients, interactive marketing professionals utilize the social streams of potential customers.  The social stream and potential clients are acquired via similar likes, demographics, locations, or other parameters in which the marketer sees a way to “connect”.

Offline Integration:  Integration models exist to connect pre-internet  leads (e.g. via toll free trackable phone numbers) to post-conversion connections like agent or representative closes.

Strategic Retention: Retention strategy allows Interactive Marketing reps to message and support customers.  Remember, it is easier to retain and service customers than to gain a new one, right?

Reputation Management: Through email marketing, social media, press releases, and more, customers are able to use Interactive Marketing to grow.

Want to add more to my definitions?  Want to debate kindly?  Comment Below!