When it comes to marketing, there are many different subcategories that you can try. In fact, it can often feel overwhelming with so many different tactics and strategies that you can implement.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of different types of marketing. You can use in your strategies to reach more customers, connect with broader audiences, and get better results.
Both of these tactics work together to help you market your services and products. Additionally, they contribute to improving your search engine results page rankings and gaining more visibility.
#12: Word of Mouth Marketing
One of the best ways to market is through word of mouth.
People tend to trust the recommendations that come from people they trust, and when you can capitalize on this type of marketing, you use that trust for your brand.
This marketing strategy often involves creating loyalty programs, requesting reviews, and making sure your brand name is recognizable to people who hear about it from friends and trusted sources.
#13: Referral Marketing
Referral marketing is a type of word-of-mouth marketing that focuses on reviews and recommendations.
Oftentimes, referral marketing initiatives will create incentives that can be shared with customers if they complete tasks like leaving a review or offering a case study.
This helps to benefit both the customer and the brand.
#14: Emotional Marketing
Emotional marketing is a type of marketing that uses deep connections with audiences and emotional engagement in order to appeal to customers. It tends to be used for products that can evoke feelings of positivity, acceptance, and community.
Make sure that if you use emotional marketing you are sincere in your approach, or it can backfire.
#15: User-Generated Marketing
Not all marketing material comes from the brand itself.
User-generated marketing is a style that leverages content produced by users. This approach effectively pushes forward with marketing goals.
This often involves social media challenges like hashtags, polls, or images. You can use the content created by users participating in these challenges and share it across your social media platforms to showcase how users engage with your brand in a positive way.
If you’re ever in doubt about the power of user-generated content, just spend ten minutes scrolling through a popular brand’s Instagram feed. Sometimes you’ll spot real folks showcasing products in ways that scripted ads just can’t touch. It’s basically marketing authenticity on tap—no filter needed (well, maybe just a nice one). Of course, moderation is key; not every piece of user content will perfectly fit your brand’s vibe, but a little curation goes a long way.
And if you’re worried that this is a passing trend, consider how quickly related hashtags explode on platforms like TikTok. In 2025 alone, plenty of brands racked up huge engagement just by encouraging their community to participate in branded challenges. The best part? This often snowballs—more engagement means more algorithm love, and suddenly your campaign reaches people you hadn’t even targeted. Not a bad trade for letting your customers take the wheel every now and then.
#16: Voice Marketing
With the rise of smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo, there is a new wave of marketing called voice marketing on the rise.
This style of marketing focuses on answering the questions that are asked through a hands-free speaker device.
It utilizes different keywords and phrases to show up first in voice results and requires a different strategy than typical SEO marketing.
#17: Seasonal Marketing
Seasonal marketing, or holiday marketing, is a type of marketing that centers around different holidays and seasonal events, like Black Friday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Back to School.
These seasonal events can benefit different businesses, and often require a thoughtful strategy that begins months before the holiday arrives.
#18: Account-Based Marketing
Account-based marketing is a focused approach to marketing that requires the combined efforts of sales and marketing teams.
Small teams will work together to create a strategy that targets specific accounts and individuals within those accounts.
This marketing tactic enables an extremely specific, personalized campaign. Its end goal is to sign a major account rather than appealing to general audiences.
#19: Event Marketing
Event marketing focuses on getting people to attend an event. This can be in-person, online, or a hybrid event.
Event marketing often involves a number of tactics, including promotional materials, channel marketing, and the development of specific assets to help encourage people to join the event and engage with your brand.
20: Product Marketing
Product marketing is a staple in marketing tactics.
This type of marketing focuses on the product as the centerpiece and foundation of the strategy.
Typically, there is a campaign created that centers around the product, including content, video, images, and promotions designed to sell the product and bring it to the attention of different customers.
This type of marketing also goes hand-in-hand with sales teams.
Wrap Up
With the plethora of marketing types available, it can be challenging to know where to begin. The good news is that many of these types of marketing work together in a cohesive strategy that gives you the benefits of multiple strategies in one approach.
