How Businesses Can Prepare for Digital Marketing Disruption

Content marketing is now the backbone of solid business plans and these contemporary methods have been termed “digital marketing.”

The phrase “digital marketing” serves as an umbrella term to describe all online marketing methods. This includes anything from email lists to SEO, and it’s a constantly changing concept. The digital disruption of advertising and marketing requires clever adaptation.

In order for existing businesses to thrive in the era of digital marketing, they must adapt to digital practices. New businesses need to embrace adaptability as a habit; what works now may change with technological advancements. Preparation is vital — digital marketing curveballs are bound to come.

The evolution of marketing

Historically, television and radio ran parallel to print advertisements for a long time. All three mediums coexisted and were useful. However, over time, digital marketing has diminished the prevalence of each of these.

Newspapers and magazines now have to compete with online publications. Similarly, the world of commercial radio and television is gradually being supplanted by streaming services. While all of these forms of media advertising still exist, their audiences have dwindled.

Meanwhile, digital marketing, though an industry interrupter, is no stranger to interruptions itself. Northeastern University listed Google algorithm changes, legal regulations regarding consumer privacy, and the advancement of data and technology as aspects that are always changing within digital marketing. Right now, those changes are happening quicker than ever before.

Embracing new technological trends

Technology breaks layer after layer of new ground. While this may be overwhelming, the best response is to embrace change. This requires marketing heads having their ears to the ground and deliberately focusing on the most effective digital mediums. The most significant change recently has been the overhaul of mobile devices.

When social media sites like Myspace originally gained popularity, most users engaged with content primarily on their desktops. Cellular phones existed, but they weren’t the handheld super computers we currently know them as. Today, however, most users access content on their smartphones. A good mobile marketing plan is essential to a thriving company because it’s what people use to investigate websites most regularly. Responsive web design is crucial for allowing a good user experience on any type of device.

Additionally, no content or site design will be effective without proper optimization. For context, consider the development of the DevOps process flow. Mobile DevOps combines IT operations with the development process. This allows for continuous development and consistent app updates. For social media or any other app used by a company to connect with followers, companies need to pay attention to social media app updates. Additionally, if they choose to develop their own app, they must use a similar creation method to stay relevant.

Preparing for and predicting the future

How does one predict the future without crystal balls and magic? In the age of digital disruption, the answer comes down to data. Companies have to constantly innovate their services and produce content because millennials are less loyal to brands and personalization can help reach out to these consumers. This is a relatively new practice in digital marketing, but it seems to be where the future is headed.

Additionally, as new search practices become more popular, content needs to be regularly optimized for voice search. People don’t always type the way they talk, and this sometimes leads to less visibility in search results. Focusing on less technical and more “natural” language is a way for companies to do this.

To effectively optimize content and site design for the future of digital marketing, businesses will need some insight into their target audience’s minds. Website and social media analytics can tell a business exactly how people are finding their brand and what their competitors are doing. Data has given us more than conducted studies ever have. Rather than taking it on consumers’ words, information is being obtained via their actions and behavior online. Predicting the future will require a steady ear to the ground and a close attention to data.

Summary

Since technology is advancing at such a quick pace, it’s best for businesses to adapt and learn how to use it to their advantage. To prepare for the future, they’ll have to stay apprised of algorithmic changes in Google and start optimizing for new search trends such as voice search. Data is a friend that should be leveraged to predict what consumers will do next and understand how they think.