One of the constant challenges that someone in marketing may come across is staying ahead of the game. Being able to adapt quickly to a constantly evolving and changing marketplace is one of the key aspects to developing successful marketing campaigns. Whether that be staying ahead of Google Cor Algorithm Updates to maximise SEO potential (like we do for our SEO clients in Essex and beyond), seeing different social trends, ecommerce trends or just seeing how coronavirus has effected marketing space- staying ahead of the game and having the foresight is crucial. If you run a business, you have a hard nut to crack as well. Getting across to today’s potential customer is a complex process that requires adjusting your efforts to emerging trends. Being first, or at least one of the first, gives a huge competitive advantage. It’s 2021, and although the world looks in a lot more of a recognisable state than a year ago, the pandemic’s changed a lot, and here’s what we think about the future of marketing.
Monitoring and analytics- using insight to adjust strategy
Whether it’s garden fencing, electronics, and MOT garage in Grays, every single business needs to maximise its online presence these days.
There’a a number of businesses that operate almost exclusively online and whose customers are online as well. It means that the majority of conversations about their brands and products happen online. This makes SEO absolutely vital to being a success. The difference between a single place in Googles search results can equal huge amounts of money.
Beyond SEO, online presence is vital in other spaces, too. Consumers discuss brands and products in social media, industry experts and news sites publish reviews of your product or services, competitors post latest product updates that might affect your business. Online buzz is a source of business intelligence which understanding and learning from will help play a huge part in your marketing process.
Online presence and an understanding of the analytical data behind your business can help businesses improve strategy, brand reputation management, competitor analysis, market research, customer feedback, consumer research, influencer marketing, product design, or product pricing.
Given the fact that more and more businesses, particularly during the pandemic, move to the Internet, analytical monitoring will become invaluable.
Emotional Based Marketing
It’s not something you want to hear if you spent years learning marketing theories just to be told they might soon be obsolete or at the very least, now only a starting point. The famous “Product, Price, Place, Promotion” from the mass taught “Marketing Mix” are not effective anymore, with many companies moving away from this type of templated marketing approach.
So what replaces them? Move over the “4Ps” and welcome the “4Es”. This new approach to customer value proposition, which consists of Engagement, Experience, Exclusivity and Emotion.
People don’t buy only products anymore, they buy the feeling the product gives them- even before actually purchasing it. As popular rapper Macklemore stated in his song “wings” which is critical to Nike, “We are what we wear
We wear what we are
But see I look inside the mirror
And think Phil Knight tricked us all”
They buy experiences and emotions instead. You should change thinking “what should I sell” or “how should I sell” to “WHY should I sell it?”. Emotional branding is what makes a business stand out. Nike have developed their brand to such an extent that people believe they can’t achieve unless wearing their product, especially in the sports market.
The most successful brands don’t offer just physical products or services, but great experiences, emotions, and a story that resonates. Disneyland or Coca-cola sell happiness and family togetherness, Adidas or Nike give you a courage to follow your dreams and achieve greatness and L’Oréal sells beauty.
Influencer Marketing
Bloggers, vloggers and other influencers have the power of shaping consumer opinions in places that wouldn’t normally be marketplaces. Many people head to YouTube to consume content or Instagram to pass the time, giving valuable screen time to sell a product. Internet users are more willing to trust recommendation from a favourite YouTube creator rather than from a brand. Influencers seem genuine and trustworthy, so people put more confidence in what they have to say, as well as the fact they are a role model, often living the dream life that their audience wants to live.
If they use the product and I want to be them, why would I not use that product too?
Its not different to seeing the footballer you stirve to be wearing a pair of boots and going out to buy the same pair for yourself.
There are plenty of ways to involve popular people into your marketing communication. You can simply find influencers who are potentially interested in your company or its value proposition with the Internet monitoring. Naturally, they have to resonate with your brand and your audience as well as appeal to your target audience demographic. There’s no use in using an influencer to promote over 50’s life insurance if their demographic is 18-30.
Marketing is constantly changing, but now at a faster rate than ever. There are many options and it’s up to your creativity how it would look like. Staying ahead is the key to success.
