How are you marketing your product or service to your audiences? Is it working?
If you’re struggling to find the best marketing tactic for your business, or you just need some backup ideas for the future, look no further! We have a list of 51 of the best marketing tactics you’ll need to reach your current and future marketing goals.
If your marketing strategy answers the “why” behind your marketing practice, then tactics are the “what” that you’ll actually execute to achieve your goals.
What Are Marketing Tactics?
Marketing Tactics
Marketing tactics are the actual strategic actions that direct the promotion of a product or service to influence specific marketing goals. Marketing tactics are high-level concepts that direct content creation and intentional marketing funnel experiences.
Strategy Vs. Tactics Vs. Content
If marketing exists to drive profitable customer action, marketing strategy provides the vision to achieve the goal.
Because a holistic marketing strategy must take advantage of many opportunities across the entire customer lifecycle, it often involves many sub-types of marketing strategies.
For example, a marketing team may leverage an email marketing strategy, social media strategy, and influencer marketing strategy that all align with the holistic vision set forth by the holistic marketing strategy.
Marketing tactics are, therefore, the actions marketing strategists leverage to influence the goals of marketing, which are often associated with influencing leading indicators that suggest profitable growth will follow as a lagging indicator.
Content types are not tactics. Nor are content types specific to a single marketing tactic. Content types are simply the assets, materials, deliverables, or projects a marketing strategist’s tactic employs to achieve its goal.
For example, a marketing tactic is a case study. The content type you create to execute that marketing tactic may include blog posts, white papers, and videos.
The purpose of this list is to help you choose the options you’ll execute to make your goal a reality.
Which of these is most likely to help you influence that goal? Which of these can you realistically execute?
1. Paid
Buying brand or content placement in a publication, website, search engine, social network, etc.
Common content types:
- Magazine ad
- Billboard
- Facebook ad
2. Earned
When another brand, influencer, publication, etc., mentions or covers your brand, product, or service in content they create and publish.
Common content types:
- Article
- Social media message
- Podcast
3. Owned
A tactic very much within your control to influence that doesn’t rely heavily on outside sources to publish content or create experiences.
Common content types:
- Blog post
- Website page
- Email newsletter
4. Gathered/Curated
A tactic that collects information from multiple sources and distributes content for a targeted audience to be a credible source on a specific topic.
Common content types:
- Social media message
- Research blog post
- Newsletter
5. Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
A paid marketing tactic that displays digital advertising in media where you pay only when someone clicks on your content.
Common content types:
- Google AdWords ad
- Bing ad
- Retargeting display ad
6. Native Advertising & Advertorial
Typically a type of paid marketing tactic where you buy placement of content that looks like the typical kind of piece that appears in a publication or other medium.
Common content types:
- Magazine ad
- Sponsored blog post
- Sponsored conference speech
7. Sponsorship
Also typically a type of paid marketing tactic in which you provide money in exchange for your brand representation in an event, etc.
Common content types:
- Event
- Podcast
- Webinar
8. Affiliate
A cross between earned and paid tactics similar to endorsements in which you incentivize an influencer to share a positive sentiment for your brand, product, or service with your target audience.
Common content types:
- Blog post
- Webinar
9. Endorsement & Influencer
Typically a paid tactic to incentivize someone of fame (such as a celebrity) to publically provide praise or positive reviews of your brand, product, or service.
Common content types:
- Ad
- Web page
10. Co-Branding & Partnership
Your brand collaborates with another business or brand to create content, products, or services that attract a mutually beneficial target audience.
Common content types:
- Webinar
- Podcast
- Ad
11. Engagement
The strategic connection you build with customers and your target audience through content types that foster those relationships.
Common content types:
- Social media message
- Blog post comment
- Survey
12. Loyalty
The practice of providing customers incentives and rewards (usually in the form of points) to encourage repeat purchases and build loyalty.
Common content types:
- Website
- Social media
13. Retention & Expansion
A tactic that focuses on building strong customer relationships to increase lifetime value and cross-selling.
Common content types:
- Text message
- Blog post
14. Advocacy
An earned marketing tactic in which a customer or fan shares positive sentiment for your brand, product, or service with others in your target audience.
Common content types:
- Social media message
- Blog post
- Meetup
15. Referral
A cross between earned and paid in which you incentivize your customers or fans to share a positive sentiment for your brand, product, or service with others in your target audience.
Common content types:
- Social media message
- Blog post
- Website badge
16. Review
Customer feedback through ratings and comments that help others make informed decisions about a product or service offering.
Common content types:
- Product page
- Social media
17. Testimonial
A form of endorsement in which a customer reviews your brand, product, or service but does not necessarily need to have a large following or fame.
Common content types:
- Home page
- Signup page
- Social media message
18. Case Study
A positive customer story which typically details the problem they were facing, how your product or service solved the problem, and the results your solution produced for the customer.
Common content types:
- White paper
- Web page
- Video
19. User-Generated
Typically, either photo or video content that is generated by an independent third party to showcase a product or service.
Common content types:
- Video
- Image
- Ad
20. Press & Media Outreach
An earned marketing tactic in which you strategically provide information to a media outlet to encourage someone to create content that positively covers your brand, product, or service.
Common content types:
- News release
- Pitch packet/kit
21. Guesting
When you provide content, information, or appearances to other sources to reach your target audience.
Common content types:
- Blog post
- Webinar
- Podcast
22. Content Curation
When you gather content from sources you don’t own (and mainly content you haven’t created) to share with your customers and target audience.
Common content types:
- Content hub
- Social media message
- Blog post
23. Crowdsource
An engagement method of gathering ideas from your customers and target audience to create new content that attracts more prospects like your best fans.
Common content types:
- Blog post
- Podcast
- Webinar
24. Research
Can be curated or original and proprietary, presenting findings or answers to specific questions your customers or target audience often ask.
Common content types:
- Survey
- Report
- Blog post
25. Content Syndication
When you publish content first on your owned channel, then provide rights for other publications to republish your content.
Common content types:
- Article
- Video
- E-book
26. Repurpose
When you take existing content and turn it into a new piece to maximize results from your work.
Common content types:
- Blog posts into e-book
- Webinar into video
- Social media messages into blog post
27. Republish
When you publish the same piece of content in the same or similar medium, often after optimizing it to increase its results.
Common content types:
- Social media message
- Blog post
- Course
28. Gated Content & Downloads
When a user is required to provide contact information such as an email address in return for access to a website’s content or a digital download.
Common content types:
- Webinar
- Course
29. Video
A combination of audio and visual elements ideal for showcasing a product in action, explaining a service, or educating an audience on a particular topic.
Common content types:
- Blog post
- Social Media
- Ad
30. Audio
Sounds produced by humans, AI, or music to help tell a story and often invoke an emotional response.
Common content types:
- Radio commercial
- Podcast
- Social media
31. Blogging
An owned content hub that distributes primarily written content but often includes audio, visual, and video.
Common content types:
- Blog post
- Infographic
- Video blog (vlogging)
32. Social Media
Online communities where users often share information via micro-messaging, images, videos, and links.
Common content types:
- Forum
- Wiki
- Q&A
33. Event
A planned occasion where you physically or digitally meet your customers or target audience at a specific time and place.
Common content types:
- Conference
- Webinar
- Meetup
34. Live Streaming
An event marketing tactic in which you record and share your meeting in real-time as it unfolds.
Common content types:
- Conference
- Facebook Live
- Podcast
35. Personalization
Including the actual name of the person you’re communicating within the content you’re sharing.
Common content types:
- Email subject line
- Website
- Popup
36. Marketing Automation
An owned tactic that strategically (and automatically) sends content to customers and target audiences based on their activity and interests.
Common content types:
- Popup
- Ad
37. Retargeting & Abandonment
Targeted marketing messages to potential customers who have previously visited your site or abandoned their cart.
Common content types:
- Ad
- Text message
38. Email
An electronic letter you send to your customers’ or target audience’s inboxes to influence a specific action.
Common content types:
- Newsletter
- Blog post email
- Behavior-driven email
39. Marketing A.I.
Behavior-driven recommendation and recognition technology that delivers specific content to individuals.
Common content types:
- Product recommendation
- Content recommendation
- Display ad
40. Interactive
Adding a “back-and-forth” element to marketing wherein a potential customer’s action will trigger a certain marketing reaction.
Common content types:
- Landing page
- App
- Ad
41. Gamification
Applying game-playing techniques to content to engage your customers and target audience.
Common content types:
- App
- Quiz
- Ad
42. Tool
Interactive tactics that help your customers or target audience solve a problem.
Common content types:
- Analyzer/optimizer
- Calculator
- Tester
43. Contest
An engagement marketing tactic in which you give your customers or target audience a chance to win something in exchange for their participation.
Common content types:
- Poll
- Social media message
- Landing page
44. Giveaway
A contest or promotion in which a prize is given away to a randomly selected winner.
Common content types:
- Social media
- Blog post
- Video
45. Launch
Used to introduce a new product or service to the market, creating a sense of excitement and anticipation.
Common content types:
- Ad
- Social media group
- Billboard
46. Promo
Creating and distributing promotional materials such as coupons, flyers, posters, and ads that are designed to attract and retain customers.
Common content types:
- Social media message
- Ad
- Landing page
47. Pricing
The cost of a product or service that you can use to influence customers’ decisions and capture more market share.
Common content types:
- Pricing page
- Home page
- Ad
48. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Publishing owned and earned content, and enhancing your owned web properties, to help those searching for specific information to find your brand, product, or service naturally.
Common content types:
- Web page
- Blog post
- Guide
49. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
Strategic owned website enhancements to increase the number of people who take a desired action.
Common content types:
- Ad
- Landing page
- Home page
50. Guerilla
Unconventional actions and content that aim to attract the most attention possible.
Common content types:
- Dirty sidewalks cleaned to show only your logo
- Public bus wrap
- Beer coaster postcard
51. Sales Enablement
Tools and training that help sales teams increase their efficiency and effectiveness.
Common content types:
- Software
- Books
- Coaching
Choose the marketing tactics that are most likely to influence your goal.
This piece was originally published in 2017. It was updated several times since, with the most significant changes occurring January 30, 2023.