How To Use Software’s to Improve Marketing Tactics
In 2009, a now well-known slogan was introduced by Apple – ‘There’s an App for that’. The catchphrase was referring to the number of apps that Apple had available on its store, a store that can’t be accessed outside of its own network of devices. Now, more than a decade later, Apple aren’t the only ones that have ‘an app for that’. There is seemingly apps and software for every possible use case. For marketers, this software is called MarTech or AdTech.Read more
How Traditional Marketing Can Still Be Used in The Digital Era
As the digital age has revolutionized the way we interact with each other, marketing has evolved to meet the changing demands of consumers. This evolution came in the form of digital marketing. Digital marketing is any marketing that is done online, whereas traditional marketing uses channels such as posters, billboards, TV ads, radio ads, and newspapers or magazines. Digital marketing spends overtook traditional marketing in the US for the first time in 2019 and has remained on top since. But does this mean that traditional marketing is on the way out? Surely the techniques that dominated the marketing landscape haven’t been made completely obsolete by the advent of digital marketing. The short answer is no, traditional marketing isn’t dead yet, and the tactics and strategies that have been used for decades are still powerful tools that you can use in your marketing efforts.
8 Digital Media and Advertising Predictions for 2022 – Part2
We are all looking for the next big thing, as we’ve seen a digital reform throughout all industries and how vital it is to have a presence in the digital space. It is easier said than done however, as much as we were collectively blindsided by the pandemic, we were also unprepared for the changes to come.
Fast forward to this point in time, marketing is vastly different in comparison to the past few years. Marketing is one of the nimblest industries, as it always finds new ways to stay ahead of the game. I’m going to tell you 8 Digital Media and Advertising predictions and trends to look out for in 2022.
- Facebook Wi-Fi
Facebook Wi-Fi is a service that offers customers free Wi-Fi, in which they are to log in and check in within a business page. This may seem overlooked currently but will prove to be beneficial over the next coming year. Bad reception, low battery or running out of data, Facebook Wi-Fi is the solution, that both the consumer and business benefit from this.
Businesses who utilize this maximize visibility, increase web traffic, and increase conversion rates. Facebook Wi-Fi will be employed by many local/big businesses, and we highly recommend jumping on it early before it explodes. Read here for more on Facebook Wi-Fi.
- AR/VR Marketing Campaigns
AR is the future, even if it is a slow adoption process, it is what marketing is going to look like. Whether you have come to terms with it or not, it’s going to be the basis of operations and interactions in years to come. How does this impact Marketing? Let me tell you.
AR/VR work hand-in-hand with the Metaverse, which we will talk about later, is an infinite world of possibilities. Brands are already taking advantage of this, allowing users to gain a further understanding of behind-the-scenes operations and the intricacy of perfection that goes into the product.
It has been clearly stated that the AR/VR platforms plan to monetize their services with mass marketing and advertising. This is great news for businesses, allowing them to reach a larger market. AR/VR continues to unravel its true potential and you don’t want to miss out on the ample opportunities it has to offer.
- Web 3.0
There is a consensus on how powerful and ever-changing the online space is. What people don’t realize is how close we are to another great change to the web. Web 3.0 allows smaller projects to challenge large corporations like Google, Amazon and Facebook. Web 3.0 is described to give a “much greater level of freedom, decentralization, and democracy for individual users, content creators, and projects.” – Mason Nystrom from Messari.
What does this all mean for everyone? It allows individuals and businesses to gain full ownership and control of the content they create. Ultimately allowing marketers to control their data and privacy with the removal of centralized authority. This may be a little overwhelming to understand now but read here for more on Web 3.0.
- AI Content Generators
AI evolution isn’t confined to capabilities, but its ability to mimic human behaviour. AI is being programmed to understand the psychological and emotional aspects of humans; our triggers, likes, dislikes etc.
There may be a possibility that AI is beginning to generate efficient content, based on recent popular posts. By not only being able to identify millions of posts at once but the keyword, designs and all the elements that go into successful posts. Could this be detrimental to the longevity of Marketers? All we can say is this could be a huge game-changer if we deem so.
- Metaverse
Mark Zuckerberg has done what people have been prophesizing for a very long time; the creation of a digital interactive world. If you don’t know about the Metaverse, allow us to catch you up. Metaverse is a digital space that allows you to virtually explore and interact with almost anything. From playing basketball in the Bahamas or playing chess with people from across the globe, the possibilities are endless.
Metaverse has plans to add virtual shopping with big and small brands across all industries and has already begun trials. The Metaverse is something marketers MUST get on board with, as the benefits far outweigh any outliers. If you think the Metaverse is just a fad, well guess again. It isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so if you are a marketer looking to break barriers for your brand/business, this is the place to be.
- Interactive content
An advertiser’s dream is to give the consumer a 100% understanding of what message they’re trying to convey. Even then, it may not be enough. Thanks to our forever adapting world, we have figured out a way to achieve this, interactive content.
We have seen social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok create advertisements that allow users to interact with the content. Whether it’s a filter, virtual mini-game, assessing clothing options etc, this is only the beginning, and several brands are already investing and exploiting this opportunity.
- Ad Optimizing
Advertising platforms like Facebook are adapting to the pace of the market. With these changes, advertisements and websites are automatically optimized. This smart optimization can pick up on Google’s algorithm and any changes/trends that arise. From this data, it can suggest or even make the changes necessary.
This level of technology will drastically budget on SEO and Marketer costs, allowing more time to be invested in other aspects like content creation rather than site maintenance. We could potentially see this be deployed further down the year.
- Short Form Videos
Short videos will eventually take up the entirety of the internet, as lengthy written posts/videos are slowly dying out. TikTok skyrocketed the trend of short-form videos and has seen Instagram and Facebook make efforts to replicate the idea.
Short-form videos have significantly higher views, replays and completion rates than a video that would go longer than 15 seconds. We are seeing major high-end brands like Gucci and BMW create short 8-second videos. 2022 is the year we will see a seismic increase in short-form videos from a range of brands and businesses.
- Podcasting
In addition to short-form videos and blogs taking up the majority of the content of businesses and brands, we are witnessing the rise of podcasting. Strict lockdowns globally during the pandemic resorted to people working remotely. As a result, people explored the innovative and extraverted side of themselves, speaking about diversified issues to the full extent on their podcasts.
We have seen people investigate topics including social controversy, brands/businesses that are a must-visit or merely simple interests. Podcasts are a great way to engage with a larger audience that is normally difficult to reach, allowing for monetization, advertisements to be promoted and even new products/services available. Many partnerships are being made between brands and podcasters, which is expected to escalate as the platform will continue to increase in popularity.
The digital space is perpetually growing, and new opportunities are constantly arising businesses that adopt new practices first are at an advantage. Something helpful today may be irrelevant tomorrow, therefore the digital space offers boundless opportunities for explorations and therefore we cannot stay complacent. The current market refuses to sit still, so these mentioned trends in our near future are a must if you want to stay lucrative and agile.
Written by Costantino Papamikroulis
8 Reasons Why Your Business Should Focus on PR in 2022
7 Reasons Why Marketing is More Than Advertising
Most of the time we will use these terms interchangeably, not aware of their separate uses.
On the surface, we may link these terms to a wide range of activities that promote a specific message and expand the awareness of a brand or product/service. However, in order to truly maximize your company’s promotional efficiency and effectiveness you will need to understand the nuances that distinguish these processes from one another.
To provide a more clear picture of what separates these distinct activities, we have gathered the following 7 reasons as to why marketing is much more important than advertising.Read more
Components of a Good Marketing Strategy
A good marketing strategy consists of a comprehensive collection of marketing techniques that enables a business to direct its resources towards the best opportunities in terms of increasing sales and achieving a sustainable advantage over the competition.
A marketing strategy consists of short term and long term activities that contribute towards achieving business objectives.
Remember developing a marketing plan for your business shouldn’t be complicated.
To help you generate an effective marketing strategy, here are eight basic components of any marketing strategy.
1. Market Research
An integral component of any good market strategy is market research. To lay the foundation for your strategy you must collect, organize and write down data about the market that is currently buying the products or services you intend to sell.
You should consider looking at marketing dynamics, customer demographics, market segments, target markets, needs and buying decisions.
In terms of products and services, you need to analyze the market to gauge what’s out there now and what the competition is currently offering. Identifying current sales and benchmarks in the industry in addition to suppliers that you will need to rely on will help you build a more substantial base in which you can effectively build a good marketing strategy.
2. Target and Positioning
Any good marketing strategy begins with the identification of a target audience. This is the most important component. There is no point in wasting your time and resources trying to market your products and services to an audience that isn’t interested in what you’re selling.
You should aim to sell to the market segments that will be most profitable for your business. Direct your marketing efforts towards people that are genuinely interested in your products or services. By narrowing your marketing efforts towards your ideal target audience you will greater optimize your time and resources.
Furthermore, defining your ideal target customer will allow you to adjust the overall style of your marketing strategy in a way that suits your target audience. Your content will be more targeted, using language that connects with your customers on a more personal level.
3. Awareness
The ultimate business goal should be to gain the trust of your clients and create brand awareness among your target audience. A combination of traditional techniques like magazines, TV and word of mouth should be paired with online techniques to boost the awareness of your brand.
In today’s digital environment it’s imperative strategies prioritize online marketing. A business must have a website and a blog where you post high-quality content that connects with your audience and generates traffic. Additional visual and audio content like videos, podcasts, and infographics work to further generate brand awareness and leave a lasting impression in your target audience’s mind.
4. Unique Advantages
To win over your competitors you need to offer your target audience a set of unique advantages that your competitors aren’t offering. You need to distinguish your brand by offering your target audience valuable content that they can’t find elsewhere. Creating unique brand offerings will help distinguish your business from your competition.
Aim to identify one or two things that make your product or service different and promote them as much as possible. In doing so you can create more effective marketing strategies that greater reach your target audience.
5. Communicate With Your Clients
It’s imperative to know how and when to communicate with your target audience. You need to strategize the types of content you are making and how you are sharing them. Think about where your target audience hangs out most and utilize the platforms that will best reach them.
The connection you develop with your customers is a key aspect for the success of your marketing strategy. It’s important to promote your products and services as the best choice on the market, but it’s even more important to focus your attention on the needs and wants of your followers. Identify the problems they have and show them how your business offers the best solution to satisfy their needs.
6. Promotional Tactics
Once you have created your marketing strategy, you must decide which marketing activities will ensure your target audience knows about the products or services you offer, and why they meet their needs.
Aim to execute a combination of tactics such as various forms of advertising, public relations, maintaining an online presence, promotions and an effective point of sale strategy. Remember every action you take must align with your marketing strategy in order to be effective and convert customers. Aim to limit your activities to those methods you think will work best with your target market.
7. Monitoring and Evaluation
This is a key component of any type of strategy and something a lot of businesses overlook. Take the time to analyze how your strategy is performing in practice. Surveying customers, tracking sales, leads, visitors to your website and percentage of sale to impressions are all worthwhile tactics to consider.
Any successful marketer will continually review the status of their marketing strategies against their set objectives. Doing so will ensure ongoing improvements to marketing initiatives and benefit future market planning.
8. Marketing Plan
Once you have finalized your marketing strategy, draw up a marketing plan that outlines how you intend to execute the strategy and evaluate its success. Your marketing plan should be excessively reviewed and if necessary updated to respond to changes in customers’ attitudes and broader economic forces.
Fundamentally, all good things take time and a successful marketing strategy takes not only time but commitment as well. When developing your marketing strategy you must be ready to invest in order to reach your business goals. Focusing on the finer details of a good marketing strategy will allow you to develop a logical, effective plan that will lead your business to success.