What are marketing channels? Definition, types, and examples

In today’s business world, it’s not enough to just have a great product — you also need ways to show it to others. Those ways are marketing channels: they determine how, where, and when people will receive your message. Whether you run a startup or a large international company, understanding these paths is the first step to reaching more customers.

This guide explains what marketing channels are, explores the POEM model (Paid, Owned, Earned), and provides practical examples.

What is a marketing channel?

A marketing channel is any place or platform you use to connect with your customers. It acts as a bridge between your business and the people you want to reach. It’s how you share your message and show people what you have to offer.

The best way to reach people depends on who your customers are and how much time or money you can spend. To get the best results, choose the platforms where your brand actually fits. Every platform works differently, so you need to adapt your message for each one.

The POEM model: 3 main types of marketing channels

A helpful way to organize these channels is by using the "POEM" (Paid-Owned-Earned Model), which divides them into three groups.

Paid channels

These require financial investment. However, they are the fastest way to get eyes on your brand. They include:

• paid advertising (e.g., Google Ads — pay-per-click advertising);
• sponsored content;
• paid collaborations with influencers;
• social media advertising (e.g., Facebook or Instagram ads).

Owned channels

These are spaces you fully control — your "operational base". They include:

• website (including a blog);
• social media accounts;
• email newsletters;
• downloadable assets (e.g., e-books, reports);
• mobile app (if you have one).

Earned channels

These are places where other people talk about you or share your work for free. Examples include:

• guest posts on blogs or other companies’ sites;
• press coverage and media mentions;
• user-driven activity (e.g., recommendations, social shares).

 

Digital marketing channels - reaching customers online

A digital marketing channel is simply a method a company uses to reach its customers online. These channels are now essential; the global digital marketing market is projected to reach $786.2 billion by 2026.

Each channel does something different — some bring people to your site, some help you talk to your fans, and others focus on sales. The key is to be where your audience is.

Digital publishing platforms

Digital publishing is a channel that is often overlooked, even though it offers many practical benefits. It allows creators to turn static documents into more interactive and shareable content.

With interactive elements, content becomes easier to explore, more engaging for readers, and simpler to share across different channels. Built-in analytics make this format increasingly effective by helping creators understand how their content is used.

Tools like Publuu are one example of platforms that support this approach by converting regular PDF files into interactive flipbooks.

Publuu’s online flipbook example

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Search engines (SEO and PPC)

Search engines (Bing, Google) help reach people actively looking for answers, products, or services. They are powerful because they connect you with people at the exact moment they are seeking information. There are two ways to do it:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your site rank higher in organic (free) results by using relevant keywords, creating helpful content, and improving aspects like site speed and mobile friendliness.
• PPC (Pay-Per-Click) is paid search advertising that can deliver quick results because you only pay when someone clicks your ad. It works well for competitive queries and rapid lead generation; about 50% of users don't see the difference between ads and regular results.

The best strategy is usually to use both — SEO for long-term growth and PPC for quick visibility.

Email marketing

Email helps companies stay in touch with customers and acquire leads through direct, personalized messages. It is one of the most cost-effective marketing methods. It is even up to 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than social media and has a higher purchase rate (4.24% versus 0.59% for social media).

Many marketers say email is their most effective channel, and nearly half of consumers report having made a purchase via email in the past year.

Social media

Social media helps brands build awareness and connect with customers, with 5.22 billion users worldwide (about 63.8% of the global population). It is great for building community and making a lasting impression.

Social media also influences purchasing decisions: 76% of users say it affects what they buy, and that share rises to 90% among younger audience. People who interact with brands on social media often spend 20%-40% more, and 81% of consumers say social content has prompted them to make an unplanned purchase.

Traditional marketing methods - the power of trust

Even in a digital world, traditional methods remain powerful, especially for building trust locally or reaching specific demographics.

Webinars and live events

Whether it’s a physical conference or an online webinar, these are fantastic for demonstrating expertise. They’re particularly valuable in B2B (business-to-business). Because people voluntarily spend about 30-45 minutes on a webinar, you have time to educate prospects and answer questions instead of focusing on quick sales.

Direct mail

Although digital marketing is extremely popular today, sending paper mailings, such as postcards, brochures, or special packages, still works very well for certain audiences.

• Higher response: recent data shows that paper mail has a significantly better response rate (around 5%-9%) than email (which is closer to 0.6%-1.5%).
• Loyalty and locality: it’s ideal for local marketing (targeting specific cities or regions) and maintaining customer loyalty.
• Purchase influence: around 70% of people keep received mail, and over half say catalogs help them make purchasing decisions.

Public Relations (PR)

Public relations focus on building a brand’s image and credibility. They include sending press releases, appearing in the news, giving interviews, and writing articles for other publications. Research shows that traditional news sources and search engines are considered the most trusted sources of information in the world, more trusted than social media. Being featured in reputable publications helps build trust in your brand.

 

Direct vs. indirect marketing channels

Another way to look at your channels is by asking: who is selling the product? Marketing is often divided into two broad approaches:

• direct;
• indirect.

Most companies ultimately choose to combine them.

Aspect	Direct channels	Indirect channels
How it works	You sell directly to customers	Partners sell on your behalf
Examples	Email, PPC, website	Retailers, affiliates, influencers
Control	Full control over brand and experience	Limited control
Margins	You keep full margins	Margins are shared
Reach	Slower, requires your own effort	Faster through partner networks

 

In practice, most companies use a mix of direct and indirect channels. The right balance depends on your goals, resources, and stage of growth.

 

How to balance your marketing mix?

Modern strategies rarely rely on just one channel. A balanced marketing system uses the POEM model holistically to guide customers through the buying journey:

• paid media acts as the accelerator - it gets you seen now.
• owned media is the destination - it’s where you convert visitors into buyers.
• earned media provides the social proof - it builds the trust needed to close the deal.

Most marketing leaders invest about 30% of their budget in paid media to drive traffic, while also building owned content and earning positive reviews. When balanced well, these three areas support each other and create a sustainable marketing system.

 

Examples of effective marketing channels

To illustrate how different marketing channels work in practice, consider the following real-world examples.

Content marketing team

Publuu’s online flipbook example

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ComoSense used a flipbook to present its platform and explain how it supports customer management and loyalty programs. The format helped organize product information and show how the solution works in a clear and structured way.

E-commerce brand

A store selling gifts might start with SEO to appear in searches for "best birthday gifts". They could run Google Shopping ads to show product photos in search results and use email marketing to remind people about items left in their cart. A brand like Moonpig, for instance, uses highly targeted ads based on user dates (like birthdays) to drive sales.

 

B2B software company

A company like Microsoft might use LinkedIn not just for ads, but to publish articles by their executives. This positions them as thought leaders. They might also use webinars to demo their product and whitepapers to capture email leads.

 

Local service business

A local bakery in Camden implemented a "near me" SEO strategy targeting keywords like "fresh cakes in Camden". They also integrated an AI chatbot to handle orders 24/7, resulting in a 35% increase in online sales, by capturing customers who searched for local options outside of business hours.

 

Why choosing the right channels matters?

Choosing the right marketing channel isn’t a simple choice — it directly affects reach, costs, and ROI. Today, companies must diversify across online and offline channels instead of relying on a single one.

Different audiences engage with different platforms. Younger users prefer social media like TikTok or Instagram, while older audience respond better to email. In B2B, 92% of B2B buyers start their journey with online search, making SEO and PPC essential, while LinkedIn generates most B2B social media leads despite a smaller user base.

Channel choice also has a direct financial impact. As competition increases, advertising costs rise — Google Ads CPC has increased year over year. Brands that focus on channels delivering the highest ROI for their industry pull ahead, while those chasing too many platforms fall behind.

 

How to choose the right marketing channels?

Selecting the optimal marketing channels for your business requires a strategic approach. Focus on these key factors:

✔️ Know your audience: Research where your target customers spend their time online and offline. What platforms do they use (Tiktok, email)? What content formats do they prefer - video or articles?

✔️ Align with your goals: Different channels serve different purposes. Brand awareness campaigns may thrive on social media, while lead generation might work better through email or search advertising.

✔️ Assess your resources: Consider your budget, team expertise, and available time. Some channels require significant investment in content creation, while others demand ongoing management and optimization.

✔️ Analyze the competition: Study what channels your competitors use successfully — and identify gaps they may have overlooked.

✔️ Test and measure: Start with a few channels, track your results carefully, and adjust your strategy based on performance data.

✔️ Think integration: The most effective strategies combine multiple channels that work together. You can use Instagram to drive email sign-ups, then nurture with SEO content for reinforced messaging.

Understanding your communication channels

Marketing today is about reaching people in the right places. Digital tools offer many possibilities, but the key is to use different channels together. Traditional channels still play an important role.

Tools like Publuu flipbooks help connect digital and traditional formats, making it easier to share content across multiple channels.

 

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