Hey, ever wonder when digital marketing actually became a thing?
The Birth of Digital Marketing: 1990s
Digital marketing didn’t just pop up with Instagram and TikTok. Nope — it goes way back to the 1990s, right when the internet first started making noise.
1993: The first clickable web ad was launched (shoutout to AT&T — they started it all). That was the moment the world realized… hey, we can sell stuff online.
1994: Yahoo was born. Suddenly, search engines became a thing — and with it came the early roots of SEO.
1998: Google launched. Game. Changer. Now, brands wanted to be seen on the first page. SEO started evolving fast, and so did paid ads.
The 2000s: The Rise of Search & Email
Google AdWords (now Google Ads) launched in 2000.
Email marketing exploded — newsletters, promotions, and automated campaigns took over inboxes.
Businesses realized they needed a website — and not just a pretty one, but one that ranked and converted.
The 2010s: Social Media Took Over
Enter Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Digital marketing shifted hard into social.
Influencer marketing was born. Suddenly, creators and brands were teaming up to promote products authentically.
Mobile marketing and apps became a huge deal — if your content wasn’t phone-friendly, you were behind.
Today: It’s a Whole New World
Now digital marketing includes everything from:
SEO & content marketing
Paid ads & email funnels
Social media & influencer collabs
Data analytics, AI tools, chatbots… the list goes on!
So… when did digital marketing start?
Officially? Around the 1990s.
But in reality? It’s evolving every single day — and that’s what makes it so exciting!