Branding In The Digital Age [INFOGRAPHIC]
A decade or two ago, businesses could easily identify and quantify where, when, and how to reach web users effectively. But, the landscape is shifting. As the web continues to evolve into a network consisting of industry-specific platforms, social networking sites, e-commerce sites, publicly accessible databases, and blogs, this once relatively simple task is proving more and more difficult. In addition, a rapidly increasing number of consumers are accessing the Internet using mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. This means businesses need to bridge this digital divide in order to run successful branding/marketing campaigns.
The Digital Divide Hurdle
According to a 2014 Millennial Media report dubbed "Cross-Screen Consumer Behavior Decoded," 70% of web users own and use multiple devices to access the Internet. Of these, 67% of millennials interact with two different devices within 24 hours. This is in addition to 30% of millennials who interact with four different devices every 24 hours. Multiple device ownership means marketers and brand evangelists have to deal with an ever-increasing number of consumer "touchpoints" (any time consumers encounter brands). At the same time, 60% of millennials expect smooth customer experiences whether they engage with brands online or in-store. Up to 58% of the same demographic expect brands to be easily accessible regardless of channel While mobile device usage is certainly convenient from a consumer standpoint, it presents a real challenge for marketers who must devise ways of reaching platform agnostic consumers, according to Mollie Spilman, EVP, Global Sales and Operations at Millennial Media. In spite of these hurdles, 90% of consumers expect brand engagements to remain consistent across devices and marketing channels. It’s worth noting that companies that offer online marketing services are not making it easier for businesses to identify and reach the right consumer audience, according to a Forrester paper commissioned by Google. A manager in charge of marketing and media services at an unnamed company interviewed while carrying out research for this paper expressed exasperation with an increasingly complex ad-buying process that includes portals and exchanges. This is making it hard for businesses to identify their real consumers.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Despite the challenges discussed above, it is possible for a marketer to develop and launch a branding campaign that is not channel-specific. To do so effectively, one must adopt a multi-pronged approach that encompasses:
1. Content
Stephanie Gaines, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at digital video brand advertising firm YuMe, says content is at the heart of the digital media industry and as such, should be a key element in all branding efforts. To increase the likelihood of branding message resonating with target audience, Gaines recommends creating unique content and delivering it in an innovative manner that suits content context and circumstances. No one illustrates the power of creatively packaged content better than the Hip Hop rapper Drake. According to choreographer Tanisha Scott (who also appeared in Drake's Hotline Bling video), Drake expected music fans to create the memes, gifs, and mashups that made his song go viral. This is the right approach given 80% of consumers say content authenticity influences brand loyalty. The "type of content" packaged for marketing purposes influences brand perception among 83% of consumers.
2. Cross-screen behavior data analysis
Data from Millennial Media's "Cross-Screen Consumer Behavior Decoded" report shows that cross-screen behavior varies depending on content type. For instance, 80% of consumers use traditional PCs (desktop or laptop) to access B2B content. On the other hand, web users consume 79% of streaming radio content, 79% of gaming content, 61% of social media content, and 61% of weather content via mobile devices. Businesses should invest in marketers with data analysis skills or hire data analysts who can collaborate with marketers to analyze cross-screen data. This will enable marketers to develop effective data-driven branding strategies.
3. Good grasp of modern ad-serving technology
According to an Accenture digital advertising report, marketers should be well versed in new advertising models and technologies. This includes Real-Time Bidding (RTB)/programmatic buying, Pay for Performance (PFP), Convergence Buys, and consolidated buying platforms. Without a good grasp of these technologies and ad models, it is hard for a marketer to determine a branding campaign’s ROI.
Utilizing Major Branding Channels
Because sites like Facebook and Twitter reach 80% of consumers , marketers should take advantage of social media for branding. Of these, Facebook commands 16% of the mobile ad market. Other notable players on the social media front include LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Google+. Another key branding channel is search engine marketing. Google AdWords is the leader in this space reaching over one billion unique searchers globally. The Yahoo Bing Network reaches 516 million unique searchers worldwide. In conclusion, in order to roll out a successful digital branding campaign, marketers must develop branding strategies that revolve around delivering unique content innovatively, cross-screen behavior data analysis, and good grasp of modern ad-serving technology. By doing so, a marketer can identify all customer touchpoints. Businesses can use search engine marketing and social media marketing to expertly reach their right brand audience. To help better illustrate all of this, The Online Master’s program in Business Administration at New Jersey Institute of Technology has created this infographic that details precisely how cohesive, well-designed marketing strategies are the key to your company’s success in the ever-growing digital world. 