Tag Archive for: digital marketing strategy

2017 Year in Review: Digital Marketing

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As we near the end of 2017, we recall many of the new ideas and innovations that this year brought to us. In digital marketing, there have been many changes. Digital marketing is centered around change, as it is required for this industry to live and thrive. Now we take a look at some of the biggest changes to digital marketing in 2017.

The Move to Mobile

This past year saw an incredible shift in user preference to mobile devices. It has grown to such a height that mobile search has now overtaken desktop search. The trend began early in 2017, but did not slow down at all. 33.3% of all transactions from Cyber Monday were completed on a mobile device. This mobile activity is up nearly 17% from the previous year.

It is also worth noting that age does not matter when it comes to mobile. Most people assume that the only demographic utilizing these mobile technologies are younger generations. In reality, older consumers are regularly active on digital devices. In fact, 50+ year old consumers had a 12% growth in smartphone usage over the past year. Read more in our article, “How to Reach Senior Citizens Using Digital Marketing”.

Competition Between Social Platforms

In 2017, each major social platform was vying for the spotlight. Twitter attempted to increase their numbers by doubling the character limit from 140 to 280. Sadly, this change did not produce the desired effect they were looking for, as their Q3 reports showed another decline in activity.

Snapchat focused on increasing advertising revenue. Their ‘Snap Pixel’ gives marketers better insight into consumer behaviors, which is certainly valuable when forming any kind of marketing strategy.

In the end, one social media platform came out on top in 2017. There can only be one winner, and this winner is Facebook. Facebook provides a larger audience, better targeting options, and superior results when it comes to digital marketing. Their resources and refined tools cannot be outdone. It is also very likely that their success will only continue to grow in the upcoming year.

The Importance of a Marketing Strategy

Digital marketing has become much more calculated. As the industry grows, experts are looking to make the most precise decisions when it comes to their digital marketing efforts. This means that anyone serious about digital marketing should be using a well thought out marketing strategy.

Long standing organizations have the benefit of possessing a history of data. This data is invaluable. Past behavior predicts future behavior. So, data can show you exactly what decisions to make, without much risk of failure.

However, if you do not have a large database to fall back on, it is best to begin with broad objectives which are then refined over time as you begin to notice what works and what does not. For more detailed information in creating a marketing strategy, please take a look at our article, “Create the Perfect Digital Marketing Strategy”.

Digital Permeation

As the digital industry continues to grow, it expands across many other industries. Digital marketing presents all businesses with the ability to better market their products and services. The main advantage is digital marketing’s low cost. Of course, digital marketing campaigns can become expensive if desired, but most campaigns produce results for mere pennies on the dollar.

This advantage has allowed digital marketing to infiltrate every area of business possible. There are no real limitations when it comes to digital marketing. Any organization looking to sell their product to a specified target audience can do it.

As a result, digital marketing strategies have been developed for entire industries. Food, healthcare, metal fabrication, you name it. All of these industries have been affected by digital marketing, and will continue to be affected in 2018.

Marketing Strategy Advice From Forbes Contributors

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We have compiled articles discussing marketing strategy that have been published on Forbes over the last couple of weeks. While we offer plenty of our own digital marketing advice here at Onimod Global, it never hurts to get another perspective. So, what do the experts have to say about building up a successful marketing strategy?

Flywheel Effect

A flywheel has many different spokes. This same principal design can be easily transferred to marketing. As Lisa Allocca described in her Forbes article, “The best marketing results come from integrating marketing activities from different spokes of the marketing flywheel to see success.”

Each aspect of a marketing strategy (search engine optimization, social media marketing, paid advertising, etc.) represent a spoke of this flywheel. The specific spokes may vary depending upon the goal of the business, but the idea remains the same. All strategy objectives are equally important to achieving the organization’s overarching goal.

Rule of Seven

The same article by Allocca brings another significant strategy to light: the rule of seven. The basic meaning of this rule is that in order to effectively market any product or service to the target market, it must be repeatedly presented to them at least seven times.

This rule is by no means a new idea. It has been discussed for years as a surefire way to make a lasting impact upon consumers. Unfortunately, this rule is quickly and easily forgotten by most marketers.

This once again brings us back to the flywheel analogy. It is critical that your marketing strategy does not overlook any components just because they are simple to understand and execute. You need every piece of the puzzle, not just a few.

Big Wins vs Consistency

Forbes contributor, Same Page, debated the pros and cons between a high-risk and high reward marketing strategy compared to a low-profile and consistent marketing strategy.

Page noted that many people recognize the riskier organizations that target the biggest fish in the pond. After all, who doesn’t remember the horrendously creepy Burger King campaign from last year? Consumers had a violently negative reaction to the King, and the ads were quickly pulled off air.

Positive results are not impossible with a risky strategy. As Page pointed out, the Dos-Equis campaign that followed the day-to-day lifestyle of the “Most Interesting Man in the World” was a huge hit.

On the other hand, we have consistent marketing strategies. Page brought attention to several brands that many consumers pay little attention to, but are still achieving success year after year.

In the end, Page concludes that the main aspects to consider when deciding between these two types of marketing strategies are, “your product, the customer base you’re marketing to, how risk-averse your company is and how creative your marketing team is.”

Changes in Future Marketing Strategies

As digital technologies continue to advance, marketing strategies are sure to change in the coming years. Brian Solis describes his expectations for the future of marketing in his own Forbes article.

Solis breaks down modern day consumers and their recent marketing trends into the following 3 categories:

  • Availability of Information
  • High Expectations
  • Impatient Attitudes

These 3 trends represent the shift going on in marketing right now. Consumers have more information at their fingertips than ever, and there is no where for brands to hide.

Expectations are also growing higher and higher as organizations adapt to the consumer and their every need. Brands that cannot or will not adapt to these needs will soon be left behind and forgotten.

The desire for instant gratification is also rapidly growing among consumers. This is a very logical standpoint because who would really want to wait around for any kind of product or service when they have the option to get it immediately? The faster brands deliver, the better.

As patterns of behavior and attitudes shift among consumers, it is important that marketing strategies shift along with them. Any resistance to these changes will only have negative impacts upon the brand itself. So what are you waiting for?