Digital marketing has reinvented the marketing industry in a way that has never been seen before. With digital marketing including everything from social media promotions, websites, SMS marketing and email marketing, there is so much scope for businesses to utilise it and really work to grow their brands.
As well as the increase in ways in which brands can market themseleves, there has also been a huge increase in the number of ways people can make use of marketing tools to influence consumer behaviour and point customers towards their products.
Digital marketing campaigns have become increasingly popular as companies are realising the amount that consumers are more and more making use of digital services and online shops instead of going into physical stores. These marketing campaigns combine the use of Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), influencer and affiliate marketing, automated content, social media marketing and so much more to reach out to consumers and place their brands at the forefront of consumers’ minds.
Digital marketing has a huge impact on the attitudes and purchasing behaviours of customers in the current market and can help even small businesses to reach consumers worldwide.
Take a look at these ways that digital marketing is affecting consumer behaviours and marketing efforts:
Shop anywhere anytime
Digital marketing has given customers access to global markets through just a few clicks of a button. Now with internet access, you are able to buy almost anything you can think of from almost any country in the world. Because of this, consumers are now spending more money to import goods that they have not previously had access to in their area.
Customer research
More and more, we are seeing an increase in how much research customers are doing before purchasing a product. With the number of blogs, reviews and other resources available for consumers to leave reviews of their products increasing all the time, people are now searching for reviews on almost everything they buy, from small grocery items to expensive electronic investments. This is where marketing techniques such as affiliate marketing can come in useful – getting influencers and bloggers to promote your product for you increases consumer trust and provides another source for consumers to get their reviews and learn about the product they are looking to buy. Review culture has also forced companies into making better quality products that are not going to generate any negative reviews which could be detrimental to the business.
Shop on the go
Now that customers can purchase goods from lots of different suppliers across the internet, they can shop around for the best deals and discounts with ease, which results in significantly less loyalty to any given brand.
Since digital marketing has led to customers always being informed about all the options and current deals that are going on for any product they want to buy through social media, email marketing and pop-up internet adverts. These adverts are often targeted using the consumer’s browsing history and search engine analytics.
The abundance of retailers means that consumers can find it hard to know where to go, which is where affiliate marketing can come in to help guide consumers towards your products. Affiliate partners are able to use the trust of their audiences combined with honest reviews to help brands gain sales.
Discount Mindset
Digital marketing essentially serves as a platform for brands to showcase the number of discounts they have on offer and the competitive prices of their goods. This is because there is an increase in the discount mindset thanks to digital marketing. Instead of consumers being forced to go shop to shop searching for the best deals, all the deals are presented to them in their email inbox and social media pages all the time.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most vital elements of digital marketing as it means that consumers can stay up to date with their favourite suppliers wherever they are. They can be kept up to date with deals and new releases without having to ever visit a shop. Customers are not only able to see new deals, but also purchase on the go with ease.
Monthly Payments
Before credit cards were readily available, customers were not able to make credit or defer payment purchases. However, digital marketing has taken advantage of these new payment methods to help make purchasing easier for customers. The introduction of Equal Monthly Instalments (EMIs) has helped to improve consumer access to products that they might not otherwise be able to afford.
Conclusion
Digital marketing is always changing how consumers are viewing brands and approaching purchasing, and as newer types of technology are emerging there is more control for customers over how they can purchase items. However, companies have just as much influence over their customers with the very same technologies. As advancements continue, it is likely digital marketing will continue to adapt and advance.
