Digital advertising: what it is, types and how you pay for it
The ads you see on Google, social media and websites, and how to make them bring you customers
Digital advertising is the set of ads a brand runs on digital channels, such as search engines, social media, websites, apps, video platforms or email. It is also called online advertising or internet advertising.
Its big advantage over traditional advertising is that you can choose who sees each ad and measure its results in real time.
What is digital advertising?
It is any advertising message that reaches people through an internet-connected screen. For example, an ad on Google, a sponsored video on social media, a banner on a news website or a newsletter with an offer.
You almost always pay a platform, such as Google or Meta, to show your ads to a specific audience. That is why it belongs to paid media, as opposed to owned media (your website or your email list) and earned media (the mentions you get without paying).
Digital advertising vs. traditional advertising
| Aspect | Digital advertising | Traditional advertising |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Search engines, social media, websites, apps, video, email | Television, radio, print, outdoor |
| Targeting | By age, interests, location, behavior | By the outlet’s general audience |
| Minimum budget | You can start with a few euros a day | Usually requires large investments |
| Measurement | Real time: clicks, conversions, cost | Estimated: audience, recall |
| Changes | You can adjust or pause an ad instantly | Difficult once aired or printed |
Types of digital advertising
| Type | Where it appears | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Search (SEM) | In Google or Bing search results | An ad for “running shoes” when you search for that term |
| Display | Banners on websites and apps | A graphic ad on a news website |
| Social media | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn… | A sponsored video in the feed |
| Video | YouTube and streaming platforms | A 15-second ad before a video |
| Native | Blended into a website’s content | A sponsored article labeled “Advertisement” |
| Programmatic | Websites and apps, bought automatically in real time | Ads auctioned in milliseconds for each user |
| Remarketing | Websites and social media, aimed at people who already visited you | The product you looked at follows you on other sites |
| Your own or sponsored newsletters | A newsletter with an offer for your subscribers |
For Google ads, see our entries on SEM and Google Ads.
How do you pay for digital advertising?
Platforms charge according to different models:
| Model | You pay for | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| CPC (cost per click) | Each click on the ad | When you want traffic to your website |
| CPM (cost per thousand impressions) | Every 1,000 times the ad is shown | When you want brand awareness |
| CPL (cost per lead) | Each contact you get | When you want subscribers or potential customers |
| CPA (cost per acquisition) | Each sale or action | When you sell online and track conversions |
| CPV (cost per view) | Each video view | In video campaigns |
Don’t lose the visits you pay for
Capture subscribers with forms and turn them into customers with your Mailrelay newsletters.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages: precise targeting, flexible budgets, instantly measurable results and the option to test several versions of an ad.
Disadvantages: heavy competition for attention, ad blockers, rising costs per click in competitive industries and dependence on each platform’s rules.
Digital advertising and email marketing
Ads bring you visits, but you pay for every click and many people leave without buying. Email helps you keep them:
- Use ads to drive traffic to a landing page with a subscription form.
- Turn those subscribers into customers with welcome emails, useful content and offers.
- Email your list every time you launch a campaign: it is a channel you own, with no cost per click.
If you want to plan the whole campaign, read our entry on advertising campaigns.
How Mailrelay helps you
Mailrelay helps you make the most of the contacts you get from your ads. You can add a subscription form to your website, send an automatic welcome email and send your newsletters with the drag-and-drop editor.
Then, the statistics show you the opens and clicks for each campaign.
The free account lets you send up to 80,000 emails a month to 20,000 contacts, with chat, ticket and phone support.
Send your newsletters with Mailrelay
Up to 80,000 emails a month to 20,000 contacts with the free account, with chat, ticket and phone support.
Frequently asked questions about digital advertising
What is digital advertising? They are the ads a brand shows on digital channels, such as search engines, social media, websites, apps, video or email, usually by paying a platform.
Are digital advertising and online advertising the same thing? Yes. The two terms are used as synonyms, as is internet advertising.
What types of digital advertising are there? Search, display, social media, video, native, programmatic, remarketing and email.
How much does digital advertising cost? It depends on the platform, the industry and the competition. You can start with a few euros a day and pay per click, per thousand impressions or per result.
Is digital advertising better than traditional advertising? For small businesses it is usually more affordable and measurable. Big brands usually combine both.