The development of online technologies has been a key driver in the development of marketing practices over the last decade. However, it has not just affected the way in which marketers help to promote and sell their products, but also how informed consumers are when it comes to buying a product or service. With consumers being constantly connected to the online world, be it through their smartphone or tablet, they now have a wealth of information at their fingertips to help them in their decision process. But how has this changed marketing practices, I hear you say? Well you’ve come to the right place; I’ve done all the reading so you don’t have to.
First of all, it is good to go back and look at the more traditional dynamics of marketing. It can be said that before the introduction of all these online technologies that marketing was much simpler in terms of how marketers got their message across to the consumers. The only challenge was making yourself heard amongst all your competitors was often the biggest challenge, but whoever shouted the loudest tended to be heard first. It can be classified as “push” marketing, as marketers had to put their messages out there to as many consumers as possible and hope that it got seen.
The Old Marketing Paradigm
Now to move on to what is known as the new digital marketing paradigm. Online technologies have made marketing more varied and innovative and on the whole a more complex issue. No longer is marketing an idea whereby marketers push their message to consumers, there is now a new element where consumers have a pull influence. As consumers are constantly connected online their is now a wealth of information readily available to them. Therefore, for marketers they have to find ways to push their message out into the online world, but make sure it is there ready for consumers to access as and when they want and need it. Their message has to be fragmented and innovatively fed through various digital channels to reach the consumer at the perfect moment. Also, due to the pull factor of the new digital paradigm a biderectional flow of information has been created.
The New Digital Paradigm
With consumers being so knowledgeable about products and services thanks to the internet, digital marketers have to continue to be dynamic and innovative in order to succeed in marketing their products and services. What is most interesting about the new digital paradigm it is ever evolving due to the fast pace environment of the internet. New technologies are always being introduced and consumer trends in the way they use the internet will always have an influence on how marketers will use the online environment.
Greenberg, E. & Kates, A. (2014) Strategic Digital Marketing. 1st Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education