When dealing with a digital marketing strategy, these days, there is an ever growing number of decisions to make. Digital marketing (i.e. web, mobile and social) is finally becoming a gimme for all brands, meaning that the noise level and clutter has been magnified. Meanwhile, new choices continue to pop up. It is becoming a veritable minefield.
Sorting through multiple platforms
Digital marketing can be resumed as a multi-platform, multi-media and multi-way conversation. With limited resources, one needs to determine the social media platforms in which to invest and then there are technological platforms (smartphones, tablets, browsers…) which require specific configurations. Moreover, users must be able to navigate seamlessly across these different platforms.
Social
In terms of choosing the right social media network in which to invest, the first question to ask is whether your target audience is there? Second question: what is your objective? See here for more on this topic about choosing the right social media platform.
Mobile & Browsers
Then, in terms of optimizing the user experience of your web or eCommerce site across the various technological platforms, again the same two questions as above need to be covered. But, here it is largely a numbers game. I’m thinking there is going to be someone rich who comes up with a way to create seamless cross-platform programming.
Warming up the relationship between IT and Marketing
For many digital marketers, it seems that the first point is to be aware of the different effects of the various platforms: Blackberry vs Android vs iOS, on the one hand, then on the different models of each (especially for Android). Regarding browsers, customizations are needed for Chrome vs Safari vs IE, etc., including the different versions of the browsers. And, the folks in IT are pulling their hair out trying to stay up with marketers’ requests – a lot of crossed wires. Far too often, IT is under-staffed and under-budgeted to keep up with these demands. If Marketing and IT did not consider each other as martians from another planet, I would think this a good start. But, the bottom line is that senior management must be aware of the stress on IT and the need to invest in IT and in infrastructure. Hence, my regular demand to improve the digital IQ of top management, and to avoid the “museum-like” mindset that remains embedded.
There are several emerging rules of thumb:
Digital marketing must be an integral and integrated part of the marketing mix. The organizational setup must be adapted to render fluid the internal communications and communication plans.- Just because it’s digital, does not mean it is cheap or conversational. Budget allocations must be as much in personnel as in invested dollars.
- As I wrote before (credit to Mitch Joel), about active and passive media, mass (aka traditional) media can spark activity just as social media can be consumed passively. Getting consumers active is the name of the game.
- Not all platforms are equal. Equally, not all platforms are easy to work with (read: the rules and models change all too frequently).
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