Digital Marketing has escalated to a quintessential pedestal in our daily lives. It has become the oxygen we breathe, the new vitamin we need, the elixir to our lives and the daily workout we need to exercise our nimble fingers. Whatever it may be, we cannot escape it and hence, it becomes imperative to chalk out our digital strategy in a systematic, chronological manner.
Here are the 5 essentials for your Digital Strategy:
1.Data analytics is key:
The value of data cannot be overemphasized; it is what defines the digital strategy. First it is essential to have a clear understanding of our target audience using databases such as Simmons/MRI.Having complete information about the customers is critical – Where they live, what they eat, where they dine, whether they have pets, what they do in their free time.This helps us find customer insights and helps us create customer profiles. Upon the completion of customer insights, effective strategies can be created. This includes strategic partnerships as well as the curation of statistical models for media buys.
Hence, this data driven process helps us define the amount of money that would be feasible towards an effective Digital Strategy, with a lucrative ROI.
Data is also essential when strategies pertaining to improving the clicks, impressions, bounce rate , average time spent have to be developed. These offer KPI’s to our digital campaigns. For example, the KPI for e-mails is open rate, hence it becomes essential to configure the current open rate as well as the Industry’s Open rate, in order to create a goal, which should be reasonable and achievable.
For example, one can use Similar Web to decipher the several statistics pertaining to a site, in order to set KPIs post campaign and to even understand how to allocate the funds in the digital strategy – whether to improve the bounce rate, or to increase the impressions and by how much.
2. User Experience:
User experience has grown volcanically. Its has transcended beyond the layout, font, text, speed and the look of the website. Tools such as Appsee can be used to measure the user experience of apps using tools such as heat maps and helps create more user friendly , less complicated web layouts on the mobiles as well as the destops.
User Experience has to be made more interactive and is now encompassing tools like gamification, which stimulate customer interaction with the brand and make it more interactive and engaging. These apps provide levels and scores to the users, adding an element of fun and competition among the users. For example, Foursquare uses gamification on its app by providing levels to the users in order to be able to share the status on social media as well as map the performance in order to engage the customer even more.
3. Content is still king:
The objective of a content strategy is to produce content and distribute it through various channels in order to create engagement among the target audience.
There are several formats of content curation such as blogs, videos, emails, podcasts, social media, white papers , audio formats and the list goes on. These snippets of crisp information enhance the value of the brand and create more authenticity and trust in the company. Companies also employ the concept of native advertising through content. This means talking about the product in a story telling format and creating the need in the mind of the consumer.
The goal is really to position the brand as an “innovator” in the given field and build enrichment, faith and engagement.
Content marketing is about penetrating into the everyday life of the target audience.
Here are a few examples of exemplary content strategies displayed by companies.
Burberry, too has pioneered the art of creating effective content strategies. Its Youtube channel provides help content to its customers and answers questions pertaining to styling options and how to pair clothes. The YouTube channel creates Acoustic versions of songs, penetrating into the everyday lives of the target audience in order to be more relevant. Brands are now going beyond what they create and have a more holistic approach towards their consumers.
4. Mobile Marketing:
2015 was the first year that mobile traffic exceeded that of desktop users. Target audiences are now going after their mobiles phones before they reach out to their desktops and hence with the emergence of apps that have literally taken over the individuals by a storm it is essential to have apps wherever applicable and at least have a mobile optimization strategy. Brands are now blurring the differences between social and e-commerce and hence it has become important to be on social media channels and use apps such as Snapchat, especially if video is a platform that can enhance the user experience.
Well-known social platforms are taking their awkward first steps into becoming shopping centers.
Image Source: Adweek
Mobile Ad Networks Worth a Look
With this new medium gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds, it’s no surprise that a handful of mobile-friendly ad networks have cropped up to take advantage of tech-savvy surfers. Some of the largest and most highly recommended networks include:
Jumptap – One of the largest mobile advertising networks, Jumptap holds patents on many innovative types of mobile content monetization and targeting technology.
AdMob – Google’s mobile ad service, AdMob integrates advertising within apps to let content publishers and app developers earn money and expand their reach.
5. Omni channel Marketing:
Omni channel marketing is a brand experience created to reach the target audience across as many marketing channels as possible.Google reports that 90% of consumers move between devices and channels when making a purchase.These marketing channels include: websites, email, social media, print, aerial advertising, mobile apps, the physical store or even a catalog via devices such as phones, laptops, TV. Hence, it becomes necessary to integrate these channels with the devices to create a smooth brand omni channel experience.
Here is an example of how Macy’s has very successfully implemented its omni channel marketing strategy, in order to reach out to customers across platforms and different media.
Hence, the above are the 5 most essential components for an effective digital strategy which are a complete must haves for any company across any industry in order to be successful in the digital space.
Bhavini Khullar 