New Age of Digital Marketing in 2017

I don’t go anywhere without my phone. I also like having my laptop nearby when possible, and I can be found surfing the web, doing work, or on social media at most hours of the day. I’m not alone in my technology usage, which has skyrocketed globally in the recent past. The rising use of technology has allowed the digital agency to flourish, and companies can increasingly take advantage of the Internet and social media to promote their brands and interact with customers. Digital marketing happens when brands promote their products or services over digital mediums. Thus, technology, when utilized effectively, It is an amazing platform for advertising and marketing, with the potential to generate brand recognition and customer bases which would not have existed otherwise. Digital mediums are also more accessible to companies of all sizes, as digital marketing is more often low-cost, and thus it can be utilized for small businesses and large corporations alike.

Perhaps the most revolutionary and groundbreaking aspect of digital media which is utilized in marketing is the dialogue companies can foster with consumers, where communication flows both ways. In other mediums (such as print, television, radio, etc.) communication is largely a one way street, with companies talking at potential consumers. The Internet makes communication both ways possible, with consumers easily able to provide high speed feedback to companies in a way which not costly. Communication can also flow from consumers to other consumers, in the form of a forum for reviews or recommendations, which can greatly impact a consumer’s decision to buy a product. A 2004 study even found that people who looked at product reviews were twice as likely to purchase recommended products than those who did not . Thus, encouraging reviews, forums, or other forms of feedback on products can lend credibility to company and encourage potential buyers, and should be utilized by companies to promote their goods and services. 

Internet advertising also allows data about user habits to be transmitted to companies, who can in turn use this data to adjust their marketing strategies and get to know their customer base. Individualized ads prove more useful to both the companies and consumers, because they connect consumers with the products they want and need. This is mutually beneficial. Personally, I was at first unsure of whether I liked the personalization of advertisements, but over time, as I have gotten used to this Internet feature, I have found it immensely helpful.

Whereas in the past or on different mediums, advertisements may show up which target groups a consumer is not a part of (for example a teenage girl is not the target audience of male clothing lines or companies offering retirement advice), but on the Internet consumers only see ads which are relevant to them. I personally find this type of advertising useful to connect me with products, but even for those who do not, I would contend that seeing ads that are for products or services you may use is better than ads for things you will never need. Thus, companies should seek to individualize and target their ads as much as possible to increase the likelihood that the ads a consumer sees are relevant to them. Moreover, collecting information about potential customers is a key benefit of of digital marketing, and can be taken advantage of by companies to target consumers who are more likely to buy from them, rather than spending money advertising to the wrong customers.

Digital media has another unique feature in its immersive qualities and potential. Companies can use technology to create a virtual experience for users and consumers, who in turn can access information from the comfort of their home. This can be utilized for companies to create a virtual tour or environment with the use of images, videos, and even audio, all of which are interactive with the user. This cannot be achieved on other mediums, and could be an invaluable tool for companies to allow customers to visualize products or understand how they could be integrated into their lives. For example, K-mart has a feature where customers can browse through their virtual store online, which simulates walking through the physical store. This technique is, in my opinion, underutilized; many people value being able to do as much as possible online, and they may be more comfortable browsing through a virtual store than navigating through tabs on a website. It could also save time for customers, as they get all of the benefits of a tangible store without having to invest the time to drive or walk there. Thus, this would be a marketable feature companies could take advantage of to increase their digital presence and accessibility. 

Although digital marketing is an invaluable tool, not all digital marketing is created equally. We are all familiar with many of the main kinds of digital marketing: pop-up ads, side-panel ads, online coupons, graphics, and YouTube, to name a few, but not all of these are equally effective. A 2010 study of 571 Millennials aimed to gauge the effectiveness of different forms of digital advertising, and found that, for example, pop-up ads which disrupt the user’s online activities do not receive positive reactions from the consumer. They can be seen as annoying or disruptive, and thus they do not engage the consumer as effectively as other forms of digital media. Contrastingly, graphics and emailed coupons are generally preferred, as they draw in the user by engaging them and interesting them in the products or message being marketed .

I believe these findings can be extended past Millennials to other age groups as well, especially younger generations. We have all experiences ads that catch our eye and peak our interest, and these engaging ads tend not to be pop-ups, but rather graphics, email promotions, or even side-bar advertisements. Knowing the form of digital marketing which a company’s consumer base is most receptive to is a powerful tool for brands, because engagement and feelings towards marketing affects consumer decisions. Digital mediums provide companies with the opportunity to test-out what works for their customers at a lower cost than other mediums, and also have the added benefit of providing information on and feedback from the consumers. Companies can take advantage of the flexibility of digital marketing, but should also keep in mind the types of marketing which consumers seem to widely prefer.

The final aspect unique to digital marketing I will consider is the ever growing phenomenon of social media. Social media allows individuals to comment on posts made by companies, which facilitates discussion between potential customers, or between customers and a company. This discussion is invaluable, and also easily shared, as an individual can easily tag a friend on a post they like, and one person’s likes may be displayed to friends who follow them. Furthermore, companies should use social media to express their unique personality and allow consumers to get to know them. Platforms such as twitter allow companies to be humorous or comment on trending topics which are relevant to their consumer base, and in response consumers can relate more to these companies.

According to a 2014 Forbes article, social media usage by companies not only increases brand recognition, but also brand loyalty, and by humanizing a company, it increases the chance that consumers will engage with a company and buy their product. Social media presence may also help a company increase their search engine ranking, as Google and other search engines seem to be prioritizing social media. This move could be a result of the fact that strong brands nearly always use social media (Forbes). Thus, the use of social media can give a company greater access to customers, as well as an advantage in search engine optimization, which in turn will make marketing easier and more effective. 

The opportunities in digital marketing seem to be infinite, and there is no doubt that it is a powerful tool for brands. Digital interactions between companies and customers increase customer brand loyalty, and also fit into consumers’ lifestyle in the 21st century– one that involves devoting increasing amounts of time to the use of technology. Companies should have a strategy when they approach digital marketing though, and aim to get to know their consumer base and promote interaction and engagement. Digital mediums prove to be far better tools for companies to form relationships and ties to their customers because of the data that can be collected and the aspect of conversation encouraged on the Internet and social media. As the habits of consumers evolve to include more technology, companies must adapt, changing how they interact with and relate to their consumer base. Digital media holds astounding possibilities for companies to flourish in this age of technology, but the most successful digital marketers are deliberate– they strategize in order to harness the full potential of the Internet and social media.