6 Digital Marketing Trends to lookout in 2020!!

What will be your reaction if you are not allowed to surf Google for 48 hours? Will you be okay to permanently delete social media and shopping apps from your mobile phone? The answer is a big NO!!

Why are we so connected with these apps? Why do we feel the urge to surf social media pages, links at regular intervals throughout the day? Well, some may say it is just addiction and whiling the time away. But, if you think deeper this is how digital media impacts our lives. There has been a significant rise in the number of internet users in India in past few year and this rise has been very beneficial to Digital Marketing sector in India. Since last 3 years India has seen tremendous rise in the usage of Digital Marketing. Users are becoming more cautious and choosy while making a choice in the digital marketplace, they have become more responsive too. Digital payment platforms, shopping apps, entertainment apps and very recently even few good academic digital apps have climbed the ladder of popularity.

Below are two info graphics which clearly display the emergence of digital media and marketing amongst Indian audience. The first one is the percentage data of mobile activity users of past year. The second picture shows findings made by researchers regarding the rise in number of internet users in India in coming years.

In such a scenario with the advent of digital media, the preference for digital marketing has also risen. The data of internet users in India reflects this change. In 2018 internet users were 483 million and at the start of 2020 the number is 566 million!! These numbers indicate there is a big audience for all companies and brands to target and build on their digital presence. Marketing trends change at a very fast pace, as they are directly related to the customer preferences. Hence to attract and know the pulse of the target customer, brands need to be updated on the emerging trend in digital marketing. We did a research and have identified top 6 trends in digital marketing for 2020. Let us see each of these in detail and understand their approach.

Rise of new social platforms

As India’s mobile user numbers increase we also see a direct impact of the same on the rise of new social media platforms. With more easy access to internet and cheaper smartphone availability in market has given an impetus to the emergence of new platforms like Snapchat, Tumbler, Pinterest and many more. With the advent of new social media platforms corporate communication is also changing with more video conferencing and communication apps coming in the picture.

Chatbots

With the digital media landscape changing a major breakthrough has been Chatbots. The crux of any business is customer. Whether you are a mid-sized company or a large conglomerate the main factor which makes or break business is customer. Chatbots are designed to provide information 24/7 and help in engagement strategy. Nowadays, organizations are building chatbots which will help in employee management and engagement. Hence, definitely chatbots are here to stay!

Video Marketing

Visuals have always been a great strategy for recall factor. The impact of what we see is always greater v/s what we hear or read. In the last few years video marketing has been a preferred by few organizations. We see a lot of video ads on YouTube, Amazon, Hotstar and many other apps. This method has been successful in generating more business leads. Connect and recall factor is more here and it has also helped in influencing the customer decision.

Voice Search

The internet user base in India is a mix of audience. The invention of voice search has helped the user to use digital media more confidently. Many users are not able to read or write in English, few are also not so educated but still they are avid mobile users. Especially in such cases voice search is a great solution. It is also preferred by many as it is faster than typing. Many brands have enabled voice search options on their apps to attract more customers. Few examples of major players in this market are Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri and Google Home and so on.

Popularity of vernacular content usage

The last few years have seen preference for local or native language digital content. According to a survey 70% Indians find local language digital content more reliable and are more likely to respond to the same. With the rise of social media platforms, the audience mix has also undergone change. Apps like Storytel, are example of how local and native language can attract more customers.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is the latest and newest digital marketing trend to enter the market. Facebook has introduced Spark AR this year for public and it is definitely attracting a lot of attention. Google is also not behind, they have brought Google Lens, an image recognition tool. This trend if implemented in the right way can change marketing experience in a big way.

As we saw the above trends will not only change the digital marketing landscape but will definitely take it a notch higher on the pedestal!

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How to leverage digital marketing tools for business during and post lockdown period

Lockdown extended!!!

These 2 words came crashing down upon us and each business owner had his / her own brain wheels churning. The extension of lockdown is definitely a cause of concern and more for the business sector as it is hampering the sales cycle. Businesses which were thriving on footfalls are hit really bad and are in a dilemma regarding further course of action. Businesses are finding it difficult to even promote their business as print advertising and outdoor advertising agencies are not working in lockdown.

So what can be done now? Well, there is one solution which is available and can help keep running the business machinery, Digital Marketing!! In a way this solution is not only applicable for business growth during lockdown but also once we come out of it. We are gradually moving towards the exit phase and usage of digital marketing can definitely give impetus to our business growth.

Yes, digital marketing tools can come to your aid and help with solutions. Many companies have already opted for this path. The current Coronavirus pandemic has caused many businesses irrespective of size to come to a standstill. Even when we return to normalcy to keep the customers and client base intact many organizations must choose digital marketing for promotion. While using this medium one needs to understand how the same can be used optimally. Let us see how various digital marketing tools / techniques can help businesses keep running smoothly.

So, in a digital world, using a strong channel like Facebook will yield better and faster results. But there is always a price for a better product. A larger audience is targeted at a shorter and more precise time, which reduces effort and of course time; hence the price for this. As Aldo Gucci said, “quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten”. Paying a good price results in a quality market, and hence a better target audience.

Review the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy
This review will help you understand the performance of your website. It is a mirror reflecting where you are in the digital space. The main aim of good SEO strategy is to make your website visible on the top page when your potential customer uses keywords. By using different SEO tools like Google Analytics, Google My Business, Search Console and many more help you with insights. Use this time to rework on this most important area as it will help the visibility and popularity of your website.

Social Media Marketing
 People tend to be use social media platforms more during this period. As people cannot go out it is the most popular communication mode during the lockdown period. Internet usage has already increased considerably during the last few years. Business owners can post more online content pertaining to their services / products and attract potential customers. This can also be a good way to retain the old customer base.

Use of Online Content
 Online content is a powerful mode to keep the audience engaged. During the current period people tend to be anxious and apprehensive. They turn to social media as there are no other means of connecting with the outside world. Also once we are out of lockdown there will not be any difference in the usage of social media platforms. They are here to stay. Ensure the content which goes on your social media pages is designed in a way to attract the target audience. Use this period to create awareness and post relevant content / articles pertaining to current phase. Remember, a well written content is the key to connect with potential customers.

Online Campaigns
 It is important for a business owner to nurture the customer relationship. Hence you can utilize this time to run online campaigns which will keep the customer base engaged and also help earn more views for your social media pages.

We have seen how various tool and techniques of digital marketing can help you keep your business running smoothly and also help you increase your digital presence. Lockdown or no lockdown for all of us who are entrepreneurs it is necessary to be abreast with the latest marketing trends. And, digital marketing is here to stay! Let us utilize this time to review and remodel our business strategy. So friends let’s get started from today and action this need of the hour!

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Facebook Marketing Do Come with A Cost and Here Is Why

Beth Comstock once said, “you can’t sell anything if you can’t tell anything”

Marketing is one of the most important aspects of a business, and now with social media being the current buzzword for marketing, it has become THE most important aspect of business. The reason behind this being that an average person spends 30% of his productive time on social media with Facebook having a lion’s share of 1.5 billion people logging into it every single day of which 1.39 billion use it on their mobile phones.

The basic process of putting up an advertisement is plain sailing. You set your advertising budget according to your convenience and profit or you can also set a bid, that is the maximum amount that you are willing to pay for your advertisement. Then comes a vital part that is the audience. Set the demographics, such as age, gender, locality and other such preferences to target the right audience. And finally, you design your advertisement according to your choice. It could be a slideshow or text or just pictures. Also, marketing to such a niche set of people requires a lot of analytical data and digital tools such as big data and analytics which are able to predict the consumer pattern and that too at a greater accuracy. Why is it that when we search for some products online, we immediately start getting similar suggestions, egging us to buy them.

With such a huge pool of people looking into Facebook, the number of hits on advertisements are much more than the traditional methods of marketing in print or television. In 2019, it has been observed that over 5 billion people own a phone out of which over half of them own smart phones. of these 2.5 billion+, 1.5 billion are on Facebook, which immediately expands the spectrum of the marketed product and the chances of it being bought or enquired about. Also targeting a specific audience is so much more possible on the basis of likes, dislikes, views, shopping, searches etc. which the consumer may have done. These are approaches which can get us immediate results, and hence making the marketing job easier.

So, in a digital world, using a strong channel like Facebook will yield better and faster results. But there is always a price for a better product. A larger audience is targeted at a shorter and more precise time, which reduces effort and of course time; hence the price for this. As Aldo Gucci said, “quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten”. Paying a good price results in a quality market, and hence a better target audience.

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7 digital marketing hacks under 50k

With the number of small scale businesses and start ups being on the rise, it is important to to find customers. Gone are the days of printing advertisements and putting up signs on the road. With nearly over 2.5 billion people using smart phones, the digital market is the place where you should be putting up your advertisements. The target audience increases when you start marketing digitally and this is usually cost effective and measurable. There is also the advantage of effective tracking. With Digital Marketing being of utmost importance, it must also be taken in to account to optimise our cost. Here are a few techniques that can be tried:

1)Organic Leads

Organic leads are those clients who find your firm by seraching for a product on a search engine which is mot by visiting your URL or your site as such. These clients are not aware of the existence of your product, until they search for it online. These are one of the most important and cost effective methods of advertising. The key words strategy should be such that it has a mix of primary keywords along with a list of large scale integration(LSI) keywords. These search engines have also become smarter with the help of AI.

2)Facebook (social commerce)

Facebook has always been around as a platform for social media, but it has only very recently been used as a platform for digital marketing. Facebook with its wide number of users eases the job of finding target clients. Along with its feature of groups and “Live streaming”, it has become a very efficient and effect digital market. Also, it is not a burden on the pocket.

3)Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is when you ask a known personality to endorse your product or brand. Tha main misconception here is that it is typically believed that if a certain personality has tons of followers, he is immediately termed as an influencer. The key word of an influencer is advocacy. If your motives and objectives match those of the influencer, it is perfect. Or else it is a waste of time and money, and ofcourse your product.

4)Voice search

‘okay google!’

‘hey siri!’

with SEO moving to voice search, there has been a drastic change. In a survey, it has been noticed that 2 out of 5 adults use voice search once per day. Also, it has  been predicted that by 202o, over 50% of smartphone users will be using voice search. On top of that, 30% of the web browsing will take place through google home and Alexa.

5)Leverage Video marketing

Video marketing is one of the highest grossing advertisement forms. People prefer watching a video of your product being endorsed versus them reading paragraphs about it. In fact, 4X as many customers would rather watch a video about a product than reading about it. The main focus should be graphics and an easy to understand message.

6)Using landing pages

When a client clicks on your advertisement, where they are sent next either makes or breaks the deal. Matching of messages and consistency is of extreme importance because this proves the relevance of your advertisement. And on top of that, it creates a personalised experience for the client.

7)Optimise your emails

Optimising your emails is very essential as every email affects your brand. Try and cut off all unnecessary information and rationalise the email and send only what is necessary. Also, try and customise it as much as possible for a greater sense of satisfaction and personalisation. Lastly, you should also add an unsubscribe link in your email. Infact it is a legal requirement, but yes, more importantly you also need to know if your customers require your service or no.

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Determining digital marketing budget

In the extremely apt words of Dave Ramsey, “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went”

Before arriving at the Digital Marketing budgets, one must need to be clear what one is trying to achieve for the company. The more aggressive the goal that the company is trying to achieve the more will be the budget. A budget helps in making a company more strategy oriented. You avoid making impulsive decisions and stick to a certain plan which lies in accordance with your budget.

According to statistical data, 30% of small businesses say that their digital marketing sales will increase considerably. The importance of marketing should be realised because the sales and profit depend upon it. Marketing is the salesman of your product. In order to validate the budget, a typical return on investment(RoI) could be done to establish the viability of the above. This could be done by quantifying the returns which is expected and how that compares against the investment made. For this, you would need to analyse your past record and figure out what worked and what didn’t and invest in areas of high return amd cut on the expenses. This helps in the preparation of an accurate budget. Knowing what worked and what didn’t, and, most importantly, why there was success or failure are vital pieces of the digital marketing puzzle that you’ll need if you want to move forward with your next effort.

The next is one of the biggest component which includes Design & layout, Graphics, visuals, Videography etc. This has to be done using the corporate guidelines and also keeping in mind the target audience. Majorly, for the service sectors, articles and blogs are still used extensively. In the case, a need for writing experts arises. On the other hand, businesses that are more product-based might benefit more from video content. That, of course, is an entirely different skill set, despite the importance of the content itself. So, budgeting would need to account for various other factors that are required in order to make a video.

Then one should look into which social segment are we targeting and which channel ( Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat etc) is more suitable to market your product or services. There are different tools and apps which can help determine the budgets based on the above criteria. Again, the platform that we select depends entirely upon the type of product/service that we are selling. If you’re more of a business-business enterprise you might want to design a budget which would include the costing of creating a sole website that gives details about your business and other factors related to that; but if you;re dealing in the sale and purchase of goods, platforms like social media and influencer marketing would also be highly advisable. This again, changes your budget.

Lastly, you should also look into investing in a good alaytics software that would be able to monitor your results accurately and hence, help you in making minor changes as when required. It also helps you to develop an optimsed and effective budget, which is an asset to the company. 

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