Digital Marketing or Marketing in a Digital World?

The shift is coming and most of us already know it. The Don Draper dinosaur is extinct. Not only has most of advertising become digital, but the majority of marketing departments will also be digitally-focused. Let’s reflect on all the old mediums of advertising: radio, TV, and snail mail. All of these things are now functioning digitally through podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and of course e-mail. The future of TV and radio is through the internet, and so it is with all forms of communication, including the telephone. As the future of internet TV progresses, digital advertising will surely become more involved, and cable TV will slowly fade into the background. So as you can see, digital marketing IS marketing, the marketing of the future. Sure, you’ll still have the occasional hard copy of a newspaper, magazine, or brochure, but for the most part, marketing strategy will be internet-based and integrated. Any other marketing efforts will be secondary.

The internet allows the consumer to access what seems to be a limitless variety of content from anywhere in the world. They can find exactly what they’re looking for, even if there are only 20 other people out there looking for it. That is, if the website they’re seeking is set up right. That’s where new marketing comes in. The new marketing department must be able to locate potential consumers on the web and reel them in to the proper website and to the proper store if relevant.

Dissecting the Modern Marketing Department

• Design- What was previously the art department is now the graphic design department. All advertising visuals including illustrations and photos are now created or modified in a software program and optimized for strategic digital placement, whether that be in an e-mail, on a website, or in a digital ad campaign.
• Copywriting- All copywriters now have to know something about writing and posting web content, SEO strategy, and tagging. Good writing and grammar skills are not enough to suffice in the future of copywriting.
• Video Production- Video editing and production for advertising is now done digitally with software programs. Most video ads are expected to be placed on the web eventually, even if they are made for traditional TV. The more channels through which the video is spread, the better it is for business.
• Reporting- Last but not least a modern marketing department must have reporting and metrics. Unlike traditional advertising, the results of most campaigns can now be tracked, measured, and analyzed. Marketing departments should know how a consumer found an ad and how to track their decision-making process. The modern marketing department easily knows which campaigns are the least and which are the most lucrative.
• Marketing Directors- Directors these days must know how to digitally identify target markets and effectively select the best visual and verbal content to ultimately bring traffic to a company’s website or store, if relevant. Directors must strategize to attract consumers by engagement in social media, meaningful content, and digital ads that adapt to PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and smart TVs. Another thing for directors to consider is the advanced segmentation of target markets. Advertisers don’t just have to appeal to the masses anymore like they did with traditional TV, but play on the unique desires and needs of the different segments of a company’s market. These segments grow more important everyday with the customization of mobile ads, strategically placed PPC ads, and segmented e-mail campaigns.