e-marketing
B2Formal, Business, Technical
Definition
Meaning
The practice of promoting products or services using digital channels and technologies, primarily the internet.
A broad discipline encompassing all marketing activities conducted through electronic media, including email, social media, search engines, websites, and mobile apps, with the goal of reaching and engaging a target audience online.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used interchangeably with 'digital marketing', though some purists consider 'digital marketing' slightly broader, including non-internet digital channels like SMS or digital TV. 'E-marketing' is a compound noun where 'e-' is a productive prefix meaning 'electronic'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The hyphen is often retained in both varieties, though the unhyphenated form 'emarketing' is also seen. The term is equally understood.
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both. Slightly more formal than 'online marketing'.
Frequency
Slightly less frequent than 'digital marketing' in contemporary business discourse in both regions, but remains a standard, well-understood term.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to engage in e-marketingto specialize in e-marketingthe e-marketing of [product]a strategy for e-marketingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly idiomatic; a technical term]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Central term in business plans, job titles (E-Marketing Manager), and strategy discussions for promoting goods/services online.
Academic
Used in business, media, and marketing studies papers to discuss the impact of digital technology on promotional practices.
Everyday
Understood but less commonly used; people might say 'online ads' or 'social media marketing' instead.
Technical
Precise term in IT, web development, and digital analytics contexts to specify internet-based promotional activities.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The firm decided to market the product primarily through e-marketing channels.
- We need to focus our efforts on e-marketing this quarter.
American English
- The company is e-marketing its new software suite aggressively.
- They plan to e-market the service to a younger demographic.
adverb
British English
- [Not standard; the term is not used as an adverb.]
American English
- [Not standard; the term is not used as an adverb.]
adjective
British English
- She heads the e-marketing division.
- We're reviewing our e-marketing expenditure.
American English
- He has strong e-marketing skills.
- We saw a great return on our e-marketing investment.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Many companies use e-marketing.
- E-marketing is advertising on the internet.
- Our e-marketing campaign increased website visits by 30%.
- She found a job in e-marketing.
- To succeed today, a robust e-marketing strategy is essential for any consumer brand.
- The course covers key e-marketing techniques like SEO and social media advertising.
- The consultancy's integrated e-marketing approach seamlessly blends content strategy with data analytics to optimise customer journey touchpoints.
- Critics argue that an over-reliance on e-marketing can erode brand authenticity if not balanced with genuine community engagement.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'e' as standing for 'electronic' and imagine an 'email' campaign 'marketing' a product.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARKETING IS A CHANNEL (where 'e-' specifies the digital/electronic channel).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'э-маркетинг'. Use standard Russian terms like 'интернет-маркетинг' or 'цифровой маркетинг'.
- The 'e-' is not the Russian 'и' (and); it's an abbreviation for 'electronic'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'e-marketing' (with a capital M) or 'E-marketing'. The prefix is typically lowercase.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'We need to e-market this'). The verb form is not standard; use 'market online' or 'do e-marketing'.
- Confusing it exclusively with 'email marketing', which is just one subset.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the CLOSEST synonym for 'e-marketing' in most business contexts?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are very similar and often used interchangeably. However, 'digital marketing' can be seen as a slightly broader term that might include non-internet digital channels (e.g., mobile SMS, digital billboards), while 'e-marketing' strongly implies internet-based activities.
Key components include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and affiliate marketing, all focused on digital platforms.
It is primarily a noun. While you might occasionally see 'to e-market' in informal business jargon, it is not considered standard. It's better to use phrases like 'to market online' or 'to conduct e-marketing'.
It is commonly used and recommended for clarity, especially in formal writing, to clearly link the prefix 'e-' to the root word. The unhyphenated form 'emarketing' is also accepted, particularly in less formal or digital-native contexts.