With the prevalence of internet use in everyday life, many people are becoming something more of a “dual citizen.” They are both digital citizens and citizens of their respective countries. The sheer amount of people on the internet lends itself to catch the attention of businesses and marketers. This leads us to the prominence of digital marketing.
Why Digital Marketing?
Small businesses often struggle with the visibility of their product, and the lack of marketing knowledge and resources is often to blame. However, marketing services are now widely available, with many of them offering services to different kinds and sizes of businesses. Services like those provided in ocean5strategies.com offer companies a way to connect to their target segment without the need for dedicating their own resources or manpower.
But how does digital marketing help small business ideas? Is it just a simple matter of “reaching as many people,” or do the changing trends address different needs? Let’s take a look at digital marketing and the trends that help define it.
Automate your Chats Through Chatbots
We know how impatient consumers can get. When they need someone to talk to about a product, they want an immediate response, a good customer service experience, and actual solutions.
As far as the first one goes, chatbots can give your business great support, especially during your off-hours. This works well for common questions and cases because since chatbots are programmable, you can automate the entire process and lessen your staff’s workload. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should rely on automated responses. It’s best to make sure that an actual person can be talked to when it matters.
A Conversational Tone Is In
As the internet is a very personal space for its users, many marketers opt to use a conversational and informal manner of speaking. This allows them to remove the invisible barrier that often separates corporate establishments from understanding the needs of their consumers. This writing style has become so prominent that it can even be seen in the biggest companies, eschewing the very formal tone used decades before.
Video Explains Better than Words
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but what about videos? As proven time and again, the power of a well-produced video ad mixed with virality can do wonders for a business. Short, interesting, and visually appealing videos are what’s in right now. From TikTok to Instagram, all the way to those skippable ads on video streaming websites, all you need is to catch the viewers’ attention within five seconds (the usual time it takes before you can skip an ad). The key here is to be as recognizable and memorable within the few seconds people see you.
Influencers Can Help You Market
We see many influencers online promoting products, and many of us can’t help but doubt whether it’s an effective way to market. But apparently, influencer marketing does work, especially when targeted to a specific niche or audience. For example, health-related products will have more reach if you find a fitness influencer who can promote your products for you. Important factors to note would be to make sure the influencer or online celebrity you are working with has integrity and that their target audience is also yours.
Story Bites Through Social Media Stories
Less than a minute-long video content works well in providing bite-sized content to “tease” the audience into learning more about something. The popularity of Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram attests to this. Even YouTube eventually followed suit. Digital marketers can make use of this to provide updates that don’t merit a dedicated post. It allows them to stay in their customer base’s newsfeed, opens opportunities for interaction and even sales.
Connect with Your Audience Through Interactive Content
Nowadays, we see “Which Disney character are you” quizzes every few weeks or so. This is primarily due to the popularity of interactive content for both marketers and the audience. Conventional test, graphic, or video-based content is a one-way experience, with the user simply watching and not precisely participating.
Online surveys, quizzes, polls, and other interactive activities provide a personalized experience that allows businesses to connect to their audience base. It also acts as a form of product survey, allowing companies to find out what their customers are demanding.
The changing times demand radical adjustments, and failing to do so can spell death for your business. Adopting the rising digital marketing trends can help your business significantly. It’s always simply a matter of integrating into your current business plan.