Impact of digital marketing on an online shopper in 2020?

Before digital became a way of life, our earliest memories of shopping are checking out nearby stores, copying our favorite celebrities and relying on our hip friends to put together trendy attire.

Now those physical stores have been replaced by Amazon, eBay, Home Depot and instead of celebrities, we rely on influencers to guide us through an oversaturated online market.

Brands like Coca-Cola and Adidas, that once relied on larger than life marketing, have taken the digital route and focus on creating relatable content and collaborating with influencers. While celebrities still play a large part in this, social media platforms have certainly bridged the wide gap between business and consumers.

An accepted formula for growth is to understand the current trends in consumer behavior and to cater to their needs. Hence, a business can no longer afford to stay unaware or aloof.

 

Earning customer loyalty 

While the benefits of digital marketing are many, its core strength is that it works where the audience is actively participating. Roughly 60% of the world’s population (which comprises 4.66 billion people) are active users of the internet and have at least one social media account.

Businesses understand the value of connecting with customers through online marketing which is why that space is getting increasingly filled with various brands. Customers too are more than willing to try new products and can easily switch their loyalty to someone that offers better services and features.

In such a scenario, earning customer loyalty is all about constant work. It is about creating the right engagement. An example is American Express who involved customers in an ‘online conversation’ through its Open Forum website. The brand encouraged authors from different sectors to share their valuable business inputs to create a sense of community.

Similarly, Canadian brand Mini Mioche used local influencers to win over customers and also boost sales. They quickly realized that customers trust other customers over a business and that they have to incorporate influencer marketing into their social media strategy to stand out.

 

Make use of influencers 

Online shoppers are smart in terms of making their choices and they do not easily trust traditional marketing which does not provide them with the complete picture. Therefore, they rely on other customers to provide them with all the required information regarding any product or service.

In short, influencers have a strong impact on digital consumer behavior and can sway their followers towards any brand.

Canadian influencers like Ashkan Hobian, Katie Cung and Sarah Ostiguy are already dominating the social media game and help many businesses reach out to potential audiences. Be it clothes, gadgets or travel, influencers are the simplest and most powerful way to let customers know about your brand and its offerings.

 

Add to the experience 

While brands do realize the impact and importance of digital marketing, they have to go the extra length to create a unique experience. This can be something as simple as offering free shipping or offering discounts to customers.

We can agree that no one has mastered the art of capitalizing on online shopping trends as Amazon has. The website’s recommended list, which is designed as per each customer’s purchasing behavior, is just one of their brilliant digital marketing tools. It is not just their clever use of AI but also their understanding of customer’s expectations that puts them ahead of every e-commerce brand. Amazon not only actively engages with the audience and gives them good discounts but also ensures that everyone enjoys a good customer experience in terms of shipment, reviews, answering queries, and returns.

The strong impact of digital marketing on consumer behavior is evident and businesses hire experts to create strategies that can help them stand out on online platforms.

 

If you’re keen on being a part of this dynamic sector, then you must consider the Diploma in Digital Marketing Specialist Co-op program offered at Toronto School of Management (TSoM) which will help you build the necessary skill set to succeed in this domain. Powered by the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI), this program can help you to create impactful online campaigns and strategies.