“Content is king” – this statement is used today more and more often, since both offline and online audiences are beginning to look for more relevance, accessibility and transparency from their daily brand experiences.
The days of consumers passively absorbing a TV commercial or a banner advertising – are over. People research their purchases as never before and they read peers’ opinions about brands and products.
1. Reach:
Through the Internet, organizations can reach audiences of unprecedented scale at a low cost, but also, for the first time in human history, individuals can make their personal thoughts, reactions, and opinions easily accessible to the global community of Internet users. Thus, websites are becoming more transactional over informational.
2. Accessibility:
Today global audience is facing a rich media production, when common users are becoming media participants as opposed to media buyers (raising blogging trend, video sharing (YouTube), micro-blogging (Twitter) as part of user’s generated content).
3. Trust:
Trust becomes a defining factor for accepting market messaging, so that according to latest Mintel study (2009), consumers’ friends and relatives are becoming primary trustworthy sources for product recommendations, as opposed to advertisers.
Mass-media are not regarded today as the only influencers, as consumers themselves are becoming to influence the perception of brands.
4. Cost-effective 2-way Communication:
When used properly digital marketing can identify, target and deliver supporters, translating online Word-of-Mouth into its offline counterpart stream. Also, digital marketing tools have been proven efficient for: brand monitoring, detecting potential crisis communication cases (via online media monitoring), brand positioning, sentiment analysis, product innovation and development, using consumers reviews as free focus group insights in co-creation techniques (e.g. Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions program looking for innovative ideas, Google’s Contest on Innovative projects, called Project 10100, P&G consumers’ insight program, etc).
Social Media has given consumers tools to participate in online communication platforms in order to create and share their content, whereas marketers are given digital marketing tools to build viable brand experiences, where consumers' voice - matters.
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6 comments:
Agree, good point. My clients in B2B start to ask our agency to assure social media presence for them and although it's an easy task - it's worthwhile, mainly due to your 1st reason - Reach.
Alan
I can’t disagree with the reasons you have given but I also think that digital marketing provides much more of a compelling argument than the ones you have given.
The main reason to believe in online marketing is that it provides the opportunity for an overarching marketing strategy which begins with prospects who have never heard of you but are receptive to your offer and then engages them on a journey which travels through first purchase, repeat, up sell, cross sell, regular purchase and then leads on to retention and referral to begin the process again. No other media can do all this at such an incredibly low price.
So much of digital practice focuses on tactical solutions to a small part of this, when the real story is the strategic big picture. It still blows my mind when I explain this to clients and I’ve been doing this for fifteen years now.
Alan and Aaron, thank you for your comments.
We've selected this issue precisely because the interest for digital marketing grows incredibly fast and the approach to it is what makes the difference. Any online exposure of a brand should be a considerate decision as it may have both positive on negative impacts on brands' images. We're happy to hear your reasons and are welcoming your comments to enrich our discussion.
Best,
Digital Lunch Team
I think you're doing a great job - the reasons you mentioned speak of your insight and deep understanding of digital marketing. My agency is looking for a digital marketing specialist - was wondering if you'd be willing to join the team in London. What's your personal e-mail?
Mark
Thank you Mark, it's rewarding knowing that the articles posted are valued. Great to have you among our readers! Keeping in touch,
Digital Lunch Team
I am agree on what nadya are saying about Digital Markeing and because we deal with our client to make sure to keep these four point in mind.
Nice post and west wishes
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