Through the DIM program, I have learned a lot about innovative digital marketing. The rapid evolving technology has drastically shifted the scenario of modern marketing, making an increasing fraction of the job going to digital. Many industries have been digitally transformed or disrupted with improved efficiency and productivity (Ref. 1).
The digital ad is becoming the lion’s share in the whole pie of media advertising (Ref. 2). By platform, digital marketing can be categorized into mobile marketing, desktop marketing, and other emerging channels such as digital TVs. Although Internet starts with desktops and traditional computers, mobile marketing has been gaining an increasing share in the digital ad market owing to two important reasons:
- The mobile technology provides much more convenience to users and customers;
- The mobile technology makes marketing data much more accessible.
By format of ads, mobile marketing can be further segmented into mobile web, mobile app, mobile search, and mobile social, with each format representing a unique aspect of mobile marketing. As more users and potential customers are spending more time on mobile devices such as smartphones and iPads, these formats have become a booming mechanism for content delivery and customer engagement along the user journey of a brand. The key is how to use these efficient mobile channels to improve content strategy so the right content can be delivered to right users on right media at right time. Understanding customers via big data and analytics tools can lead to a clear persona or personas, their behavioral pattern, information consumption, and a defined customer journey map (Ref. 3). To improve UX, websites should be designed as responsive on desktops and mobile-optimal on mobile devices; app might be a better choice than mobile web for some products or services; firms should consider different strategies on various social media due to varying demographics and channel personalities.
However, all these aforementioned ‘cool’ things do not make any sense unless they are linked to business objectives. In fact, as shown in the frameworks of mobile web, mobile app, mobile search, and mobile social in Daniel Rowles’ book, the first benchmark should be done for any marketing campaign is a well-defined specific business objective, which acts like a guide for the whole marketing program (Ref. 4).
Additionally, digital marketing has been increasingly focusing on ‘technology as a tool’ to ‘technology enabled business models’ (Ref. 5). For example, the emergence of chatbots enables banks to do business with people living in remote areas which was not profitable to do previously due to the high cost. The telepresence robots can now make virtual touring art museums possible, thereby generating a new business line for art museums.
In summary, modern marketers should focus on content instead of devices, context instead of technology (Ref. 4). Innovations in devices and technologies will only be used as assistance for better content delivery, improved user experience, and achieving business goals.
Reference:
- Digital Transformation of Industries Demystifying Digital and Securing $100 Trillion for Society and Industry by 2025. January 2016. World Economic Form. https://www.accenture.com/t00010101t000000z__w__/ru-ru/_acnmedia/accenture/conversion-assets/dotcom/documents/local/ru-ru/pdf/accenture-digital-transformation.pdf
- Global Digital Advertising Market by Platform, Ad Format, Industry Vertical, and Region 2015-2026: Growth Opportunity and Business Strategy. July 2019. https://www.gracemarketdata.com/index.php/our-products/industry-research/11003-detail
- User journey maps for content marketing: what you need to know November 14, 2018. By Autumn Green. https://www.brafton.com/blog/strategy/creating-a-user-journey-map-for-your-content-marketing-strategy/
- Rowles, Daniel. Mobile Marketing: How Mobile Technology is Revolutionizing Marketing, Communications and Advertising. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page. 2017.
- The Digital Transformation of All Businesses and Industries. By Thomas Ricketts. https://evolutionarytree.com/content/Digital-Transformation-of-All-Businesses-and-Industries
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