Marketing has come a long way beyond simple brand messaging. And now it might be time to say goodbye to digital marketing! Yes, it’s time to stop focusing just on social media and digital marketing and start approaching marketing from a more holistic perspective in 2018.
According to experts, this latest shift will mean that many businesses will start to analyze and realign their marketing strategies to take changing consumer expectations into account. This will also mean that digital marketing will be simply another channel by which to achieve brand objectives – not the be-all and end-all of marketing a brand.
The Shift to MAO
In 2018, marketers will have to pay more attention to MAO (Mobile, Audiovisual and Omnichannel). Those who fail to come to grips with this, or simply try and ignore it, will most likely be out of the game.
We will remember 2017 as the year in which mobile defeated PCs; this year more than 50 percent of Internet browsing will be on mobile devices. Mobile-focused marketing tactics have become increasingly necessary in the strategy definition tables of brands; the problem is, according to experts, that digital has become an invisible plot behind all marketing actions, and mobile is driving thinking about new types of actions.
It is estimated that by 2018, two thirds of mobile consumption will be audiovisual content, the question is: are brands generating mobile audiovisual content? The consumption of audiovisual content grows hand in hand with the mobile and social networks, being relevant to the audience is fundamental.
Going Beyond Digital-The Omnichannel Approach
The relevance arises from understanding that the user is one with their mobile device, is totally coherent and expects brands to be up to the task. Understanding that the user is omnipresent forces brands to move more quickly towards the field of linking channels. The omnichannel is presented as the only viable strategy both in capturing new prospects and in managing existing clients.
Brands need to move towards MAO or they will lose the opportunity to occupy the space that consumers demand of them.
And this means considering more than online presence, social media and digital strategies; it must include physical stores, and other consumer touch points, so that consumers are always in contact with their preferred brands.
Visualizing the Future
The strength of audio and visual content has been proven throughout the years. Announcements, posters, banners, and large format billboards have all seen their heyday, and some still produce excellent results. What’s changing is that marketers will have to adopt a more cohesive strategy which pulls all marketing elements for a brand or business together – rather than focusing on one particular channel more than others.
Print Media Isn’t Dead Yet
This means that while digital might put you in touch with potential consumers on the other side of the world, good old-fashioned print media such as leaflets, posters, pull up banners and roll up banner displays should not be overlooked.
For example, smart and cohesive use of relevant banner advertising, whether it’s used externally to pull consumers into a local business or internally to highlight offers and strengthen brand awareness, are just as important a part of the omnichannel experiences as digital marketing is, and should complement any online or digital marketing strategies employed.
Are you ready to adopt MAO for your business this coming year?
