The disconnect between Digital and Marketing

Tanuj Goyal
Jul 21, 2017 · 4 min read

Why a better integration between digital and marketing is a must?

Clicks, Conversions, CTRs, CTORs and CPCs — internet today is filled with the buzzwords of digital marketing. So much that the C’s of new age marketing are heard more often than P’s of traditional or should we say evergreen marketing.

Email marketing campaigns, most of the times, are done with the objective of achieving higher number of clicks. Online and display ads are aimed at receiving higher number of conversions. AdWords optimization is focused on bringing down the cost per click and Search Engine Optimization is aimed at accomplishing better Google Rank. Is that wrong? Definitely No. They are all valid digital marketing objectives. But is it working? Well … Yes it is. The internet is filled with success stories of digital marketing and the role it has played in transforming the fortunes of various companies worldwide. True again.

Let’s change the questions then. Is it working for you?

Let’s change the questions then. Is it working for you? Well … I have had intermittent success with some of my campaigns. I just need to get it working across campaigns and mediums. Sounds familiar? I am sure it does, to many of us who are working in the field of digital marketing and the broader marketing function.

In today’s world of technological advancement and new media, media consumption habits of customers are ever-changing and fast evolving. This has led to the emergence of a plethora of platforms and in-numerous tools and technologies that are aimed at enabling marketing professionals in their quest to reach out to their target audience in more meaningful and effective ways. However, given the sheer number of tools and technologies (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, SEO, AdWords, Webmaster Tools, Online and Display Ads, Email marketing, Online and Display Ads, Mobile specific optimizations & more) it is easy to get lost in the nitty-gritty of each of these mediums and not realize the disconnect from the broader marketing objectives that creeps in — the disconnect between digital and marketing.

Digital marketing in theory (i.e. the various digital marketing courses available in market today) and in practice too is often completely disconnected with the basics of traditional marketing. Most of the digital marketing courses available in the market today start with topics such as “The basics of Blogging”, “Introduction to AdWords” and “Overview of digital marketing terminology”. Such a course curriculum that completely ignores the importance of fundamentals of marketing should rather be named as Certification/Diploma in Digital Marketing Tools and not a digital marketing course. While many may name the digital marketing as a 5th P, the truth remains that 4Ps of marketing i.e. price, product, promotion and place is the most effective tool for planning your marketing strategy. This in combination with Product Life Cycle (PLC) and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action) frameworks allows an organization to structure the execution of marketing campaigns. Digital marketing strategies that work in isolation to the overall marketing objectives invariably lead to sub-optimal results.

Why a better integration between digital and marketing is a must?

Statistics like open rates, no. of clicks, even click to open rate have little meaning unless the motivation behind the campaign is clearly defined and links back to the overall objectives of the marketing. Search Engine Optimization techniques can improve your search rankings, may even get you a visitor from the prospective client but conversion will not happen unless the combination of product (fulfilling the need), price(matching the buyer’s expected price point or justifying your price point by delivering higher value), place (correct if it is an online purchase) and promotion (effectively communicating the benefits in the language that the customer can identify with) falls in place. Similarly, a comprehensive understanding of product life cycle stage which extends to a deeper understanding of market dynamics and competition is essential for identifying and highlighting the points-of-difference, which make your product unique and valuable for customers, in your marketing campaign. Finally, depending on the purchasing cycle stage your customers are at, you must address their concerns and questions by developing stage specific content and making it available at the right place. While the specifics may vary for product to product, certain media channels are more effective and suited for promotions targeting buyers at a specific stage. A simple example of it is, mass media works better for generating awareness and gaining attention as the cost per impression is lower while point-of-sale promotions and offers work better for targeting prospects which are about to make the purchase decision. Similarly, when in comes to digital banner ad campaigns on websites where your target audience spends time (reference media consumption habits) may be a better avenue for promoting your top-of-funnel whitepapers/articles, while a product comparison/review based website or a solution deep-dive webinar would be a better place to promote discount offers.

Hence, the idea is that digital marketing campaigns and initiatives should flow from the overall marketing objective. This not only allows you to better analyze their performance but also leads to better results.

Note: This post was originally published on Linkedin here.

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Tanuj Goyal

Written by

Sr. Product Marketing Manager at IMImobile. Product and Marketing enthusiast, aspiring writer, keen learner & observer who loves trying new things in life.

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