03 Sep HOW IS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION CHANGING MARKETING
With the rise of the internet and mobile devices, our lives and behavior have clearly changed – everything is now connected digitally! We live in a world where you receive an alert on your phone when the ice in your fridge is running low. If your refrigerator is online and your business is not, you might need to rethink your marketing strategies. In this post, we will address four key topics to help your business succeed in a technology-driven world: what is digital transformation, why small to midsize businesses benefit more from digital transformation, why marketing is important in digital transformation, and how to leverage digital tools to implement transformation.
What does digital transformation mean?
You may have heard the phrase “digital transformation” mentioned frequently at conferences and presentations. We know it has something to do with technology and digital systems, but what does “digital transformation” ¹ really mean?
The truth is the definition for digital transformation is vague. It entirely depends on the industry or department it is used within. Although the exact definition of digital transformation differs, in all cases, it involves transitioning from analog to digital processes in order to operate more effectively and to improve customer and user experiences². In marketing, digital transformation is often viewed as the implementation of new digital technologies in business for the purpose of increasing lead generation and building a more sustainable relationship with customers. When we talk about technology in the workplace, many of you may think, “Technology? We don’t even have an IT department!” However, digital transformation involves more than just the technology in your workplace. In marketing, the ultimate goal of digital transformation is to provide your business with a complete understanding of the customer journey, and it is accomplished by choosing optimal digital marketing solutions to create the best online experience for your customers. That is to say, building a customer-focused and data-driven user experience is the ultimate goal in order to succeed in digital transformation.
Why do small to medium-size businesses benefit more from digital transformation?
It is often assumed that only large corporations have the privilege of leveraging digital transformation. In reality, digital transformation empowers small to medium-sized companies to compete on the same level as much larger businesses. Moreover, even with a small budget, small to medium-sized companies can gain access to the same marketing tools and strategies used by much larger corporations, enabling them to successfully market their products and services in a competitive environment.
No budget? No problem! You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to place a fancy ad in a magazine that your target audience might not even see or shoot a 4K video to advertise on a TV channel that your customers don’t even watch. Effective advertising can be as simple and budget friendly as displaying an eye-catching visual on social media – achieving the same (or superior) results, but at a fraction of the cost. You pay each time someone clicks on your advertisement or shares your content in a social channel. With a budget as low as $5 per day, you can significantly impact consumers and improve customer experience, whether it be convincing them to purchase your product on social media, getting a person to click on your website, or changing their minds by providing them with a free shipping coupon after abandoning cart at checkout. Every time a customer interacts on the customer journey, the marketing team must use that exchange to make the customer experience better. ³
Refine your marketing strategy: go digital or go home.
It is the era for small to medium-size businesses to thrive! Attorney X a small law office in Calgary, had a minimal online presence back in 2017. We dug deeper into data-driven insight with Google Analytics, which helped us to identify key search terms that are used by potential customers. Through implementing SEO friendly content creation – on page and off page – the business successfully gained a 277.59% increase in overall website traffic. In March 2018, 299 keywords were ranked on the first page of search results that lead to a 380.77% increase in Google organic sessions.
Having an efficient marketing strategy is the key to success because it defines the way you want to communicate with your customers in the digital age. Without marketing, businesses won’t be able to reach their target audiences or sell their products and services. Marketing can therefore be viewed as a bridge that fills the gap between the product or service and the consumer.
We are not claiming that achieving digital transformation is easy; there aren’t any step-by-step instruction booklets that lead to guaranteed success. However, with the right help and insight, digital transformation can be a smooth process. In the last 10 years, we at NUUN Digital have helped hundreds of small to midsize businesses to design, refine and implement their marketing strategies. As a result, we have gained a deep understanding about how to best help our clients successfully transfer their business module digitally. We have established an extensive list of best practices, with a focus on small and midsize businesses’ development. We hope it can provide some guidance to launch the digital transformation for your business too!
Need help in the process? Email us at connect@nuundigital.com to get free marketing advice or a consultation.
The best 6 tips to transfer your business digital and grow your revenue.
Web design and development
Having a website is the first step in the digital transformation process. It isn’t all that different from a physical store in a traditional business module. A website gives your customers a place to get to know your business and grow interests. What color you use in your website, which font you choose, and what kind of visual content you present on the website directly impacts the customer’s experience. Building a website with a design that is structurally pleasing and visually attractive is one of the best investments you can make. There are numerous website builders, such as WordPress, Shopify and Wix, that provide exceptional website templates to use as a starting point.
After creating a website, the next step is to get your visitors to navigate through your content and ultimately make a purchase. When changing and developing the website, always keep in mind how customers will navigate your site so you can make the customer experience seamless and effortless.
SEO
SEO stands for search engine optimization. Why would I need to know about SEO? The answer is simple! All searches require the use of a search engine such as Google, Bing or Amazon. Users type a search query into the search bar to find relevant information on the internet. For example, if your online store sells mountain bicycles, typing the search term “mountain bicycle” into Google might help lead them to your website organically or through paid ads. Search algorithms look for informative and well-written content that appropriately contributes to the search engine’s index. Placing relevant, search engine friendly keywords within your content can boost your site traffic. This ultimately helps the search engines identify what types of products and service you are offering in order to bring useful audiences to your website.
Blogging
Blogging is a great way to communicate with your customer on a deeper level. Imagine it is the first time a customer walks into your store – they know nothing about you. They are not sure if what you are selling or offering is exactly what they want. If you don’t approach the customer to initiate a conversation, there is a good chance they will walk away. If the sales person starts a conversation and introduces the business as a solution for the customer’s problem, it can lead to the beginning of an engaging relationship. Blogging essentially plays the role of the sales person. By presenting insights and solutions in your blogs that align with the customer’s pain points, website visitors are more likely to buy from you and find success with their purchase.
Email marketing
So far, email marketing is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies with one of the highest return on investments (ROIs)⁴. Email marketing is the tool that provides you with the ability to communicate with customers directly in their inboxes. Bye bye papers! Personalized email marketing automation offers a more fluid and personal user experience – customers can read your message that was designed just for them, at their convenience. For example, if a customer supplied their email address and added an item to cart before leaving the site, email automation enables you to shoot them a reminder with a customized promotion. If you don’t have an email marketing automation system, you are missing out on a lot of revenue!
Social media marketing
Social media marketing is one of the most cost-practical ways to get in touch with your target audiences. Creating valuable, engaging and consistent brand content is a great way to interact with young audiences and turn them into brand ambassadors. Unlike writing website copy or email campaigns, social media posts can be casual and down to earth. Think along the line of memes, emojis and jokes – try to talk to your customers like you are talking to your best friend! Choose your social media platform mindfully. An e-commerce website that sells kids toys might have a stronger presence on Pinterest or Instagram. A business-to-business or marketing agency might find more customers on Twitter or Linkedin.
Paid-per-click (PPC) advertising
You are missing valuable opportunities if you are not implementing PPC advertising strategies. PPC is an online advertising model in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on one of their online ads. You can advertise to your potential customers on multiple devices – desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. There are different types of PPC mediums including Google Adwords, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pineterst and Lindkedin. Without a question, the most important tool is Google Ads, which enables you to appear in a search on a Google page. With over a billion users and over 2+ trillion searches per year, it is not hard to imagine how much revenue you could generate by leveraging Google.
Conclusion: ready to join the revolution?
In marketing, businesses undergo digital transformation by leveraging modern digital solutions to reach new audiences to whom you can deliver your message. With the right strategy, implementing digital transformation empowers small to midsize businesses to create more revenue streams and build a sustainable and trusting relationship with your potential customers. Customer behaviors are constantly changing, so your digital transformation must continue to evolve in order to meet their needs. By staying up to date with the newest digital marketing practices and tools, you can keep your business at the forefront of the digital world for years to come! ⁵
References:
- Understanding Digital Transformation: What Marketers Need to Know, 2021
- Why Marketing Should Lead Your Digital Transformation, 2019
- Digital Transformation By Department: Marketing, Are You Ready? 2019
- Why Email Marketing Is Still Important, 2021
- What is a Digital Transformation in Marketing? 2021
If you’re looking for digital marketing advice or free consultation then send an email or give us a call! Our experts will help you.
Email: connect@nuundigital.com
Phone: +(403) 907-0997
Toll-Free: 1(877) 549-7700