What Does the Future of Digital Marketing Hold?
With research showing that 60 percent of U.S. households have Web access, it’s no wonder marketers have made a mad dash to stake their claim with online advertising in recent years. Kathy Sharpe, CEO of New York-based interactive marketing firm Sharpe Partners, accounts this move to the discernable results. “Online, [advertisers] can see results more clearly,” says Sharpe.
Every click can be logged and traced to show where an audience is coming from. “There is something more tangible about the relationship—and that has much more of an appeal,” she says. “It’s an addressable medium with much more flexibility.”
But the problem with advertising online lies in its execution—there is no absolute way of knowing exactly how a particular group will take your message or if it is even going to catch on. Whether you’re advertising with viral campaigns, social networks or video, Sharpe gives marketers a few tips for making sure your message takes off.
1. Look for your target online.
When taking the social networking route, Sharpe says to make sure to “find the social network [your target audience] is in.” Social networks have become very broad and you’ll be wasting time and resources if you aren’t focusing your efforts where you should be. The new thing in social networks is focused groups such as LinkedIn. Targeting these types of networks will give your audience a more meaningful experience.
2. Know what you want.
Your campaign not only needs a target audience but a campaign target as well. “When you find your target audience,” says Sharpe, “you need to ask yourself what you want from them.” A marketer’s best asset is having a relationship that enables you to talk to your audience. “Give them something of value where they will want to give you their e-mail and other information to get to know them better,” Sharpe says. She suggests trying product sampling if it applies to your company.
3. Build up your brand.
Collecting Web users’ information makes a good starting point but Sharpe says the research won’t be accurate unless you turn those one-time clicks into returning browsers. Do this by building your brand. “You have to talk to [your audience] consistently,” says Sharpe. “Make sure your online and offline presence look the same.”” An audience needs to see one brand represented or your message will seem weak and flighty.
4. Brand away from your site.
A large part of online advertising involves ads that redirect a user to a company’s site for more information or offers. But since the ads are click-thru, users are reluctant to stop what they are doing to visit another site. Sharpe suggests using methods that don’t require users to visit your site. “You don’t have to have click-thru banners—you can have changing scroll-overs,” she says. This way “it’s not quite as much of a commitment, but it’s still an experience as a brand.”
5. Blog.
There has been much hesitancy among companies as whether or not to start a blog (Read Should Your Company Blog? on ManageSmarter.com). Even as new ROI reports and best practices are developed to increase profitability, Sharpe says that ultimate success depends on the company’s personal investment. “You have to be willing to have a candid dialogue as a brand,” she says. It’s about building that relationship with customers and unless everyone is actively involved, you won’t get much customer response in return.
6. Avoid unprofitable fads.
New strategies and media frequently pop up on the Internet due to its instantaneous nature. But it’s important to remember that those fads can disappear just as quickly. “Don’t let the latest cool thing get you online if your target isn’t online,” Sharpe warns. If the majority of your target communicates with you through print media, it may be better to allocate the majority of your funding there, rather than wasting it on creating a branded YouTube video. “You can still live online without having online marketing—but you have to be invested,” she says.
7. Be committed.
Sharpe stresses that commitment is of utmost importance when branching out into online advertising. “It’s not a one–time deal but a continual commitment,” she says. Web sites need frequent updating; blogs need new entries and posts every week; and user databases need to contain the most recent contact and profile information. “It’s not all about gaining unique visitors,” says Sharpe. “It’s about turning your unique visitors into returning customers.”
