Technology has affected nearly all aspects of our lives. Having such a prevalent role, it’s slowly overtaking industries as well, and the marketing sector is no exception. Marketing has drastically changed due to new developments in the last few years, coming with new tools and platforms to enhance advertising strategies. Technological advancements have also altered the way information is gathered, analyzed, and leveraged, creating a number of new marketing opportunities. With that in mind, here are some ways digital technologies are currently impacting marketing strategies:
New marketing channels
The main focus of marketing has changed from competitive advertising to collecting and distributing data. New marketing technologies have revealed unique ways of understanding and reaching consumers and businesses. Marketing research is easier than ever before as well. Tools such as customer relationship management (CMR) systems are increasing in popularity, making it surprisingly simple to manage customer interactions. With website advertisements and social media marketing also rising, the advancement of technology has provided a number of new and beneficial channels that can be leveraged for effective strategies. Even aspects such as tracking and analyzing data are simplified with the integrated tools found on these new marketing channels.
Social media platforms
The expansion of the internet and social media channels have allowed for great advancements in marketing. Online businesses are easier to advertise on digital channels, for instance, while location-dependent companies can strengthen their strategies through social media marketing. Brands need to engage with their consumers in order to reach success, and social media has presented the perfect solution with direct messages, commenting on posts, and innovative tactics such as influencer and affiliate marketing. Encouraging customer reviews and responding to complaints can also be done on these platforms, not to mention that social media tools are perfect for analyzing a brand’s marketing outreach, engagement levels, and overall advertising success.
Direct marketing options
Database technology has gotten quite powerful in recent years, making it incredibly simple to target individuals rather than market to groups of audiences. Information can be gathered through simple solutions such as polls and surveys, while developments like permission marketing make it surprisingly easy for marketers to collect relevant information about audiences for direct marketing. Various tools are also available for personalizing marketing campaigns, targeting information, and tracking success. Direct marketing aims to encourage consumers to leverage their digital technologies for finding and researching products, making it an incredibly convenient and effective option for both parties.
Increasing ad blindness
Unfortunately, not all factors are positive. As consumers get bombarded with an increasing amount of information and advertisements on all channels, they are beginning to ignore them. Whether this is done consciously or not, there’s no denying that avoiding advertisements is hurting marketers in unprecedented ways. For that reason, industry professionals are developing new technologies and creative strategies to battle ad blindness and reach higher levels of success. For example, the Impressive digital agency in Australia is leveraging innovation to deliver powerful growth and real results to brands. With a holistic approach to marketing, these experts are able to deliver exciting and eye-catching solutions that generate traffic, grow audiences, and delight consumers.
Access to information
The advancement of technology has given consumers access to all information regarding companies, products, and services at their fingertips. Due to this fact, customers tend to be more discerning, often thoroughly researching a brand before purchasing from them. That is why marketing targeting strategies have changed to include factors like infographics and video content. These ads can redirect users to web pages with relevant information about the offering, or they can aim to educate themselves. The internet also allows customers to compare prices quickly and easily, creating fiercer competition in terms of cost. While this might be wonderful news to consumers, it has forced brands to include solutions such as discounts and special offers in their marketing campaigns in order to remain competitive.
Integrated communications
Integrated marketing communications (IMCs) have enabled agencies to coordinate messages across different advertising channels. Providing consistent information to consumers has allowed companies to establish their brands in the minds of customers. By nature, integrated marketing strives to create streamlined customer experiences, from the first time seeing an advertisement to finally receiving a product. This strategy requires constant communication with consumers, but new industry developments have made this a simple process. Gathering and analyzing data is one of the most important parts of integrated marketing, as consistent data is vital for delivering the best customer experiences. That is why consumer actions have to be understood, usually through automated emails, online databases, and similar solutions.
Continued connectivity
Another advantage of digital marketing is the fact that it provides an instant connection to consumers. Customer service problems can be resolved more quickly using chatbots, customers can become aware of promotions and sales faster via social media channels, and advertisements can target more specific users according to their unique interests and needs, allowing them to find solutions more easily than ever before. New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can also provide continued connections between companies and client bases. Most commonly, AI-powered chat solutions are leveraged to streamline the user experience by allowing them to solve issues and find offerings on demand.
Evidently, technology has truly transformed the marketing sector in more ways than one. While advertising is simpler and smoother than ever, new developments will likely make the process even more successful in the years to come.
