In an increasingly cluttered environment filled with competing messages and infinite options, companies are trying to win over customers for their attention. As digital disruption continues to challenge conventional wisdom, more companies are opting for digital marketing and advertising campaigns. The problem is where to put that digital ad money.
In 2014, businesses in the Us spent a quarter of all of their marketing budget on digital, a figure predicted to jump by as much as 75% in the next few years. The hype around social media has created the impression that it is the be-all and end-all of customer engagement and branding, but while it does offer the opportunity for interactivity and proactive rather than reactive engagement, few companies realize that email marketing, for example, has the highest return on investment of any digital marketing tactic. Despite this, only 8% of businesses actually have an email marketing team or dedicated email marketing support from advertising firms. In addition, given that nearly $24 billion will be spent on online display ads in the US in 2016 and close to 60% of Chief Marketing Officers see this type of advertising as effective, digital strategies need to address this as a tactic.
The reality is that one tactic is not enough. In an always-on environment customers expect flexibility and choice. Omnichannel customer engagement means being able to meet customers’ needs in a variety of environments with very little disruption. So a customer starting a conversation via email or social media should be able to easily take that dialogue to the phone without having to start the conversation from scratch. Similarly, customers expect brands to communicate across multiple channels simultaneously and complementarily.
Those at a digital marketing agency are rapidly realizing that the status quo will not necessarily suffice. The number one challenge for digital marketers according to recent research is ?meeting the expectations of the always-connected customer,? with 15% saying that was the greatest challenge. A further 14% listed ?executing consistent campaigns that drive desired business outcomes? (i.e., leads or revenue); this was followed closely by the 13% who said that the proliferation of channels across paid, owned and earned media was the greatest challenge.
Digital ad agencies can help businesses navigate the increasingly complicated and cluttered digital marketing environment. These advertising firms are poised not only to execute digital campaigns, but also to advise on strategic investments in digital media and research consumer needs so that campaigns are ideal matched to the target audience.
Support from a creative agency gives a company the strategic guidance to better serve an increasingly digitally savvy and digitally focused customer base. Advertising firms that do not support digital are unlikely to survive long in the future.
