Keeping Up In a Constantly Changing Digital Marketing Space

Over the past few years, the digital marketing landscape has changed dramatically. The changes that have occurred have left businesses and digital-marketing experts with questions on how to stay relevant. The rise of ecommerce platforms have changed the definition of social shopping and have challenged marketers to adapt to a new “normal”. 

The rise in ecommerce platforms since late 2019 has caused brands to scramble to establish a stronger social media presence. Social media has transformed how brand culture works; it takes small communities and turns them into influential crowd cultures seamlessly.  The pandemic has resulted in a complete shift to online retail; in 2021, ecommerce retail sales reached nearly $5 trillion worldwide. As social media and ecommerce platforms continue to change and grow, consumer behavior will do the same. 

A growing ecommerce market creates changes for consumer behavior and challenges for marketers to understand the customer journey. Despite many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, ecommerce was able to ensure that businesses could still carry on. Innovative technologies have changed the way consumers interact during the buying experience and have changed the way brands are able to track consumer behavior. Through leveraging data analytics, brands can now track the different social media platforms their consumers click through before reaching their site and making a purchase decision. 

“Shoppertainment” is a term used to describe the combination of entertainment shopping videos across social media platforms. Social platforms such as TikTok and Instagram reels have changed the shopping experience for consumers as they can now feel good and be entertained while shopping. Marketers must understand the importance of social media presence for brands to be able to stay relevant in this ever-changing space. The underlying principle is to keep your customers as the focus for your social-media engagement. 

To stay relevant as a digital marketer, you must keep up with the changing landscape. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Now is the time for agility.

A changing digital space calls for marketers to adopt changing tactics and strategies. Don’t get too comfortable in your current methods. Refreshing your audiences, testing new campaigns, and consistently updating creative assets are just a few ways to be an agile marketer. 

Data is your friend.

Tracking consumer behavior through leveraging data analytics has never been easier. Data gives brands the information they need to inform customer preferences, identify relevant prospects, and deliver the right message to the right audience. Compiling relevant consumer data across multiple platforms is an essential component of informed digital marketing. 

Tools such as Google Analytics allow marketers to truly understand what consumers want and need. Once the context around what consumers are looking for is understood, you can use this information to build out effective brand campaigns to deliver your message to a specific audience focused on what they were looking for. 

Social media is always on for the consumer.

In today's digital world consumers are constantly browsing through social platforms. According to Forbes, the average consumer is expected to see 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements in just one day. When it comes to social media, it is safe to say that customer experience is always on. Take advantage of this by creating an active brand presence on these frequented platforms. 

Prioritize consumer relationships within the brand.

As a marketer, it is important to keep your message focused around your specific audience. This is best described as one-to-one marketing; use tools to truly customize experiences for each customer. 

No matter the technological updates, building a relationship with the consumer will never go out of style. Keeping customer relationship management in-house is a great way to build a sense of community throughout your organization and generate customer loyalty. By building a trustworthy relationship with your consumers, you are ultimately bridging the gap and will find gauging consumer behavior easier. 

In today’s digital marketing world, media and technologies are constantly evolving. This means constant changes to how consumers digest information. As a marketer and as a brand, it is important to stay relevant and up-to-date on the latest trends.