What is Marketing Digital? A Global Trend Analysis

Understanding what is marketing digital requires an examination of how internet-connected technologies facilitate commercial communication. This practice involves using electronic devices and the internet to reach consumers through channels such as social media, search engines, email, and mobile applications. By early 2025, global digital advertising spend reached $1.1 trillion, representing a $75 billion increase from the previous year according to data from We Are Social and Meltwater. This shift indicates that digital channels now account for 72.7% of total advertising expenditure worldwide. As internet users surpassed 5.5 billion in late 2024, businesses have transitioned their focus toward data-driven engagement and regional customization.

Defining the Scope of Global Digital Marketing

What is marketing digital in a global context refers to the integration of various online tactics to build brand presence and drive sales. Unlike traditional mediums, digital platforms allow for real-time tracking of consumer behavior and direct interaction with target demographics. The global digital landscape is defined by its reliance on social media identities, which reached 5.24 billion by the start of 2025.

Marketers utilize search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and content creation to occupy digital space where consumers spend their time. According to WordStream, search advertising accounts for 40.9% of the global digital advertising market. This dominance stems from the ability to capture "intent-driven" traffic—users who are actively searching for solutions or products. However, the definition of success varies across borders as local platforms and cultural behaviors dictate which channels produce the highest return on investment.

Current Global Spending and Engagement Data

The financial scale of digital operations continues to expand. Statistics from the Digital 2025 report by We Are Social and Meltwater show that social media ad spend alone grew by 15% year-over-year to reach $243 billion. This growth correlates with the increasing time individuals spend on various platforms. The average user now engages with nearly seven different social platforms every month.

Investment in influencer marketing has also seen a significant rise, reaching $35 billion annually—a 14% increase from previous figures. Brands are moving away from broad awareness campaigns and toward strategic partnerships that produce measurable sales results. For example, 49% of businesses report that revenue grows faster when they incorporate video content into their strategies.

Can your business adapt to a landscape where 56% of online adults in major economies make at least one online purchase every week? This high frequency of transactions necessitates a sophisticated approach to digital infrastructure and payment processing.

Regional Strategy: Latin America (LATAM) Analysis

Latin America represents one of the fastest-growing regions for digital engagement. The Latin American digital advertising market reached a value of approximately $37.5 billion in 2024. Projections from Grand View Research suggest a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.3% through 2030. This growth is primarily driven by Mexico and Brazil, which together account for 81% of the region's retail media ad spend.

Platform Preferences in LATAM

In Latin America, the hierarchy of digital platforms differs from the North American or European models. While Amazon leads in many global markets, Mercado Libre remains the dominant e-commerce platform in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Digital marketing strategies in this region often revolve around "Mercado Ads," which allows brands to place advertisements directly on the marketplace.

Social media usage in LATAM is heavily weighted toward Meta-owned platforms. According to Webcertain, Brazil has the fifth-largest population of internet users globally. In this market, 67% of shoppers use Instagram to search for products, while 51% use YouTube. WhatsApp is not merely a messaging tool in Latin America; it serves as a primary hub for customer service and direct sales.

The Rise of Retail Media in LATAM

Retail media—advertising placed on retail websites or apps—currently accounts for 8% of digital ad spend in Latin America. However, EMARKETER reports that this segment is growing at 28% per year, which is more than double the growth rate of general digital advertising in the region. Brands utilize retail media to reach consumers at the bottom of the sales funnel, where purchasing intent is highest. This trend reflects a move toward "Retail Media 3.0," characterized by intense competition and the use of first-party data to replace third-party cookies.

Regional Strategy: Asia-Pacific (APAC) Analysis

The Asia-Pacific region defines digital marketing through a "mobile-first" and "super-app" lens. By 2025, digital marketing in APAC has become the largest regional market by revenue, with a projected size of nearly $393 billion by 2030. The region leads the world in social media penetration, hosting over 2.14 billion users.

Livestream Commerce and Social Selling

Asia, particularly China and Southeast Asia, has pioneered the livestream shopping model. This format integrates live video, real-time viewer interaction, and one-click purchasing. In 2023, TikTok Shop generated $11.8 billion in sales within Southeast Asia alone, representing a 300% increase from the previous year.

In markets like China, the concept of a "super-app" like WeChat allows users to perform social networking, e-commerce, and financial transactions within a single ecosystem. This level of integration enables marketers to create "closed-loop" campaigns where the entire customer journey—from discovery to payment—happens inside one application.

Localized Search and 5G Adoption

Search engine marketing in Asia requires a localized approach because Google does not hold a monopoly in every territory. In China, Baidu is the primary search engine, while Naver dominates in South Korea. Marketers must optimize content for these specific algorithms to achieve visibility.

Furthermore, 5G technology is now ubiquitous in urban areas across APAC. According to 90 Degrees Asia, this high-speed connectivity allows brands to deliver ultra-high-definition video ads and complex augmented reality (AR) experiences that would be inaccessible on slower networks. How will your brand leverage these speeds to provide immersive mobile experiences?

Technological Shifts and Hyper-Personalization

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved from a speculative tool to a core component of digital execution. Research from SEMRush indicates that 67% of businesses now use AI for content creation and SEO. AI-driven tools allow for "hyper-personalization," where content, pricing, and product recommendations adjust in real-time based on individual user behavior.

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

As search behavior shifts from traditional keyword queries to conversational prompts, a new trend called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) has emerged. AEO focuses on providing direct answers to specific questions asked via voice assistants or AI chatbots. In 2025, marketers prioritize "optimized answers" over simple "ranked links." This change requires a fundamental shift in how content is structured, moving toward concise, factual statements that AI models can easily parse.

First-Party Data and Privacy

Global regulations such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California have influenced how data is collected and used. In response, businesses are prioritizing first-party data—information collected directly from their own customers rather than purchased from third parties. According to HubSpot, 44% of marketers believe their target audience data is of high quality because they have shifted toward direct collection methods. This focus on privacy ensures that digital marketing remains compliant while maintaining the ability to target ads effectively.

Mobile and Social Commerce Integration

Mobile devices now account for the majority of digital consumption. Over 80% of social media advertising spend is expected to originate from mobile devices by 2030. This necessitates "mobile-first" design, where websites and advertisements are optimized for vertical screens and fast loading times.

Social commerce—the ability to buy products directly within social media apps—is blurring the lines between social interaction and commerce. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest have integrated "Shop" tabs and "Product Tags" that shorten the path to purchase. Digital 2025 data shows that TikTok users spend an average of 34 hours per month on the app, providing a massive window for brands to display targeted advertisements.

Video Content Dominance

Video remains the most engaging content format. Short-form videos on platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are the primary drivers of engagement. Data from HubSpot's 2025 report shows that video marketing is the top media tactic for content teams, as 86% of consumers express a desire to see more video content from brands. This trend is particularly strong in Thailand, which is YouTube's second most engaged market globally, with users spending over 42 hours per month on the platform.

Metrics and Success Indicators in Current Frameworks

Evaluating what is marketing digital involves tracking specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Marketers have moved away from "vanity metrics" like likes or followers and toward outcome-based metrics.

1. Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

2. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): The revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. Paid channels like Google Ads and Facebook Ads remain the leaders in reported ROI.

3. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The total cost of winning a customer, including all marketing and sales expenses.

4. Lead Quality: 70% of marketers now rate their leads as "high quality" due to better targeting capabilities provided by AI and first-party data.

As the digital landscape evolves, the definition of these metrics stays constant, but the methods for achieving them change. For instance, automated email campaigns reportedly produce a 2,361% better conversion rate than standard scheduled emails. By leveraging automation and real-time data, businesses can ensure their marketing efforts produce predictable results.

Do your current marketing metrics reflect the actual revenue impact of your digital activities? Adjusting your focus toward high-intent channels and regional platform preferences will facilitate more efficient growth in an increasingly competitive global market.