Digital Marketing Isn’t What You Think It Is

Digital Marketing Isn’t Posting — It’s Understanding

Most people think digital marketing is just posting online. That’s the problem.

In today’s world, everyone’s on the internet trying to make a living. AI replaced some jobs. VAs flooded the market. And suddenly, everyone became a “digital marketer.” But here’s the truth: posting is not marketing. It’s just noise.

Somewhere along the line, people started thinking that if you can post on Facebook or upload a video, you’re doing digital marketing. That’s like saying typing on a keyboard makes you a programmer. It doesn’t. Programming builds systems. Posting builds clutter.

Even worse, some companies believe hiring a VA to post updates means they’re doing digital marketing. That’s not marketing — that’s social media management. And social media management isn’t even social media marketing. Marketing is something else entirely.

Advertising is communication — showing a message, a commercial, a piece of content meant to reach people. Marketing is understanding.

Let me borrow something from Seth Godin: practical empathy. That’s what true marketing is — understanding the identity of the people you’re trying to help. Their pain points. Their goals. Their myths. Their daily frustrations. Their version of a better life.

Marketing is not about tricking people into buying. It’s about understanding people so deeply that you know what they truly need, even before they do. When you understand people that well, they trust you. Not because your ads are clever, but because your message resonates with who they already are. That’s what real marketing does.

Marketing starts with empathy — not with ads, not with design, not with content calendars. Empathy helps you decide what to say, how to say it, and why it matters. It helps you design experiences — not just posts. Every message, every campaign, every product touchpoint becomes a piece of the customer’s journey. You’re not just grabbing attention. You’re earning trust.

Most people don’t get that. They think marketing is about persuasion. It’s not. It’s about connection. Because when you truly understand people, persuasion becomes effortless.

The internet is flooded with noise. Every scroll is another ad, another post, another caption that screams for attention. But attention means nothing without understanding. Posting for the sake of posting only adds to the clutter. You’re consuming bandwidth, space, and mental energy — all to fill feeds with content no one asked for. That’s not marketing. That’s pollution.

So when someone says, “We already have someone who posts on our Facebook page,” I smile. Because I know — they don’t have a marketer. They have a poster.

Digital marketing is a system — a science mixed with empathy. It starts with research. You create assets like Ideal Customer Profiles, Before and After Bridges, and Empathy Maps. These tools help you understand who you’re serving, what they’re struggling with, and how you can help them reach the next level.

Then, and only then, do you craft copy. Then you run ads. Then you create posts. Those things are outputs, not the process itself.

Most people skip the research because it’s not sexy. They jump straight to Canva, write a catchy line, and call it a strategy. That’s why most campaigns flop — they speak, but they don’t connect. Marketing isn’t about being witty. It’s about being understood.

At its core, marketing is the study of human behavior. It’s not about algorithms — it’s about anthropology. It’s not about impressions — it’s about impact. It’s not about trends — it’s about truth.

When you understand people, you can communicate value in a way that matters. You stop guessing and start guiding. That’s why great marketing feels like being seen — because the marketer actually sees you.

Every year, new tools show up. Automation platforms. AI writers. Analytics dashboards. Shiny new tactics that promise “10x results.” But here’s the thing — tools amplify strategy, they don’t create it. Without understanding the market, tools only help you do the wrong things faster. It’s like giving a megaphone to someone who has nothing valuable to say. Louder doesn’t mean better.

So before you chase tools, chase understanding.

There’s a thin line between persuasion and manipulation — and most people cross it without knowing. Marketing done right doesn’t pressure people to buy. It inspires them to act because they see how your solution aligns with their goals. Manipulation sells through fear. Marketing sells through understanding. And that’s what separates good marketers from noise-makers.

If you want to do digital marketing right, stop thinking about posting. Start thinking about people. Study your market until you can describe their life better than they can. Know what keeps them awake at night. Know what dreams they’re chasing. Know what beliefs hold them back. Because when you do, you won’t need to trick anyone into buying. Your message will simply make sense.

They’ll feel seen. They’ll feel understood. And that’s when they buy — not because of your post, but because of your empathy.

The internet doesn’t need more content. It needs more clarity. We’ve confused activity with strategy. We’ve replaced connection with consistency. We’ve mistaken posting for marketing.

But when you zoom out, you’ll see what real digital marketing has always been about — serving a market. Helping people solve real problems through understanding, empathy, and communication that actually matters.

That’s marketing. That’s digital marketing. And that’s something no algorithm or VA can ever replace.