Digital vs Product vs Growth Marketing: What’s the Difference and Which One Is Right for You?
Making the right marketing career choice...
Hi there,
It’s been a while we talked about career. Today, I’ll be shedding light on Digital Marketing, Product Marketing, and Growth Marketing – their distinctions, commonalities, and more. Who better to explain these fields? I've extensively studied digital marketing, am currently immersed in digital and growth strategies, and have even completed specialized courses like Growclass for growth marketing and Product Marketing Alliance's program for product marketing.
Let’s explain;
1. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is often the entry point for many marketers. It refers to all marketing efforts that use the internet or an electronic device. If you’ve run Facebook ads, optimized blog content for SEO, or sent email campaigns, you’ve done digital marketing.
Key Channels:
Social Media Marketing (Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X)
Content Marketing (blogs, videos, infographics)
Email Marketing
Paid Advertising (Google Ads, Meta Ads)
SEO/SEM etc.
Skills Required:
Analytics and reporting (Google Analytics, Meta Insights)
Content creation and copywriting
Audience segmentation
Campaign management tools (Mailchimp, HubSpot, etc.)
Affiliate Marketing
Mobile Marketing
Marketing Analytics
When to Specialize:
If you enjoy storytelling, data analysis, and working across multiple digital touchpoints to build brand awareness and generate leads, this could be your sweet spot.
Free Courses
Google Digital Garage – Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (Highly recommended)
Meta Blueprint – Courses on Facebook and Instagram Ads
HubSpot Academy – Content marketing, SEO, email marketing
SEMRush Academy – SEO, PPC, and competitive research
LinkedIn Learning (Free Trial) – Digital marketing strategy
Coursera (Audit for free) – Digital Marketing by the University of Illinois
YouTube Channels To Learn
Neil Patel – SEO, content strategy
Simplilearn – Beginner-friendly tutorials
Surfside PPC – Google Ads, PPC tutorials
Ahrefs – SEO deep-dives and tools
Marketing Harry – Facebook/Instagram ads & strategies
Role Progression
Digital Marketing Intern → Digital Marketing Associate → Digital Marketing Specialist → Digital Marketing Manager → Head of Digital…
2. Product Marketing:
Product marketing sits at the intersection of product, sales, and marketing. It’s about understanding the product inside out, defining the value proposition, positioning it clearly in the market, and enabling internal teams (especially sales) to take it to market.
Key Responsibilities:
Crafting go-to-market (GTM) strategies
Messaging and positioning
Competitive intelligence
Buyer personas and segmentation
Sales enablement materials (pitch decks, battle cards, etc.)
Skills Required:
Deep understanding of customer psychology
Cross-functional collaboration
Strong communication and presentation abilities
Market and user research
When to Specialize:
If you love launching new products, collaborating with product and engineering teams, and positioning solutions in a crowded market, product marketing is a powerful specialization.
Free Courses
Product Marketing Alliance (Free Resources) – Starter Guide
HubSpot Academy – Customer personas, product positioning
Coursera (Audit) – Introduction to Marketing by Wharton
Drift Insider – Product positioning, GTM, messaging
LaunchNotes Academy – Product launch communications
YouTube Channels
Product Marketing Alliance – Interviews, case studies
April Dunford – Positioning expert talks and webinars
Dave Gerhardt – Brand building and messaging (startup-friendly)
GainGrowRetain – Customer-led growth and B2B strategies
Role Progression
Marketing Associate → Product Marketing Coordinator → Product Marketing Manager → Senior PMM → Director of Product Marketing → VP of Marketing
3. Growth Marketing: The Data-Driven Experimenter
Growth marketing is all about sustainable, scalable business growth. It’s not limited to top-of-the-funnel tactics. Growth marketers use data, product insights, and marketing experiments to drive acquisition, retention, and revenue.
Core Philosophy:
Think full-funnel (AARRR: Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue)
Focus on rapid experimentation (A/B testing, cohort analysis)
Build growth loops and viral mechanisms
Often work closely with product teams
Skills Required:
Data analytics (SQL, spreadsheets, A/B testing)
Conversion rate optimization (CRO)
Technical fluency (understanding APIs, integrations)
Lifecycle marketing and customer retention
When to Specialize:
If you're excited by testing hypotheses, working with product teams, and optimizing every stage of the user journey, not just attracting users but retaining and monetizing them, growth marketing might be your ideal path.
Free Courses
Reforge (Limited free content) – Growth loops, retention
Growclass (Paid, but great insights shared on newsletter and socials and they offer scholarships too)
CXL (Free Trials) – Growth frameworks, experimentation
Demand Curve – Growth playbooks, free templates
ConversionXL Blog – In-depth growth and optimization topics
YouTube Channels
Julian Shapiro – Growth strategy and acquisition
Brian Balfour – Growth loops and funnels (Reforge CEO)
Growth Tribe – Practical growth experiments and UX tips
Backlinko – Growth via SEO strategies
Role Progression
Growth Intern → Growth Associate → Growth Marketer → Growth Lead → Head of Growth → VP of Growth
How to Choose
Here are a few questions to help guide your decision:
Do you enjoy storytelling and brand building across digital channels?
→ Lean toward Digital MarketingDo you like launching new products and crafting compelling positioning strategies?
→ Explore Product MarketingAre you data-obsessed and love optimizing funnels with experiments?
→ Consider Growth MarketingDo you want to understand a bit of everything before deciding?
→ Start with Digital, then niche into Product or Growth as your career matures.
You don’t have to pick just one and stay there forever. Many successful marketers start in digital marketing, transition into product marketing, and eventually lead growth initiatives. The key is to stay curious, keep learning, and understand how each field adds value to the business.
Choose the one that excites you the most today and evolve as your interests grow.
Feeling Stuck or Unsure About Your Marketing Path? This Ebook Can Help
“Planning Your Marketing Career” is a practical guide for aspiring and early-stage marketers who want clarity and confidence in building a fulfilling career. From identifying your niche and setting smart goals to navigating job interviews and avoiding common pitfalls, this ebook is packed with actionable advice to help you take control of your marketing journey—whether you're just starting out or pivoting into the industry.
Ready to take your marketing career seriously?
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Best,
Success Lawal
Your Marketing Buddy.