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While we still do not have flying cars in 2022, we sure have the best invention of humankind: the Internet. It opened opportunities that were limited to many people across the world. Its importance in the context of business plays a huge role in how we approach marketing through modernity. From social media to search engine optimization, digital marketing contributes significantly and positively to the business sector in this day and age.
However, the shift from traditional to digital has not been an easy road. The transition to a new marketing approach challenges marketers to delve into a different medium. Whether having a hard time making old generations adapt to digital media or integrating the unique traits of traditional marketing methods, these are just some of the obstacles that many businesses are still facing.
But, it is a proven fact that needs to be said on repeat that if a business wants to thrive, it has to make room for adaptability and accept changes. In this article, let’s look ahead and explore the rise of digital media and what marketing will offer in the future.
Modern In, Traditions Out: Emergence of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing did not come into terms until the 1990s, when the Web 1.0 platform was developed. Web 1.0, or read-only web, began as a platform for businesses to broadcast their information, allowing users to search and read it. Until then, audiences stick to what they prefer, which has always been the traditional approach – from listening to advertisements in broadcast media to reading them in magazines. Marketers, in addition, are unsure whether the Internet would be a good platform to tap on since it has not yet been deployed widespread. But since then, everyone already knows the immense potential that digital marketing upholds; they just don’t know how to utilize digital media, and they can’t simply take the risk.
From the 1990s onwards, some evident progress has been made, such as making Web 2.0 an interactive place where people can become active participants rather than passive users. Yahoo and Google are two of the first businesses that use digital marketing to their advantage. The birth of these social engine sites has prompted changes to the digital marketing space; audiences favor that they are in control of what they consume on the Internet through searching. Following this, digital marketing has dramatically skyrocketed for the early majority of the public. Most marketers started integrating what they use in traditional marketing to the web – uploading TV commercials as video advertisements or making classified advertisements in newspapers to a readable blog.
However, the shift from traditional to digital media imposes many challenges on businesses. The late majority and laggard audiences are skeptical and are averse to changes. People who tend to be advanced in age and focus on traditions did not help the smooth transition to digital marketing. Somehow, they think that through traditional marketing, they sense that businesses have a genuine interest in their well-being and are more connected to them on a deeper level. This assumption has soon become an image of the past when marketers, through digital media, consider how their audiences might feel. It paves the way to making it the most significant marketing approach until now.
Domination of Digital Marketing and the Success Behind It
Digital marketing, with the help of the Internet, has come through crucial steps in developing the innovative tool that we access daily. This generation aging in the digital era lives in the most impactful timeline to date. The approaches to marketing have changed significantly, and this is where digital marketing is at its peak. From social media sites to search engine optimization, many marketers already see digital marketing as a blueprint for effective strategies. It dominates the different types of marketing approaches because businesses already have it accessible and easier to communicate their marketing messages beyond the limitations that traditional marketing cannot simply offer.
The digitalization of marketing matters now more than ever. Before then, people who were hesitant to hop into the Internet now understood the advantages of digital media. Cost-effectiveness and the ability to reach globally are just some of why it is significant now. But beyond that, if businesses don’t adapt digitally, they may be left behind. With the majority of audiences being present digitally, it would be a waste to not use this as an advantage. Simply, a business deciding on a digital transformation would have its benefits outweigh the cost in the long run.
The Future of Digital Marketing for Businesses
So what is it now for the future? Post-digital marketing, while far from now, is every marketer’s fear. The fact that innovations might change, disrupt, or even reshape the marketing landscape is expected not to be an easy road as well. As digital marketing becomes ubiquitous, it would require businesses to do some strategic thinking. The era of post-digital marketing will focus on “individualization,” where businesses can tailor-fit and customize values given to individual consumers. Given this, it is expected that the new wave of technology and its advancements would be much smarter, making it accessible and easier for everyone’s convenience. Augmented or Virtual Reality Technology, Artificial Intelligence Support, and Voice Optimization are just some innovative technologies starting to break through this era.
But, as expected, digital marketing is versatile. The approach to marketing changes so much that it’s hard to pinpoint what the future may offer in terms of growth opportunities for business. For certain, businesses might have to buckle up and make strategies fit for what the present is currently offering. Ultimately, whether something big or small is coming for digital marketing, marketers should always be on the lookout with a positive yet ready mindset.
Wrapping Up
The evolution of digital marketing has been through significant progress. The trajectory will likely propel upwards as we discover more advanced tools and practices by utilizing digital media. While there are some challenges in each phase of the evolution, it only allows marketers to think outside the box and step up their competitiveness in the field. In time, digital marketing will reach new heights, but one remains the same, businesses will have to adapt over and over again.
As of now, expect that many trends in digital marketing will emerge sooner or later. While, in a sense, marketers should take digital marketing in the present with a ready-for-future mindset, they can still stand out and prepare by making the right strategies. However, doing it in the ordinary is boring; the question is: do you want to step up? Verafede Inc. has your back! Connect with us to use digital marketing to your advantage and be at the top of the game.
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Cezar V. Nacion
Cezar V. Nacion is a graduating student of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Marketing Management at De La Salle University - Dasmariñas. He is an intern at Verafede Inc. under the marketing department and social media team. His works interest marketing research enthusiasts through the discovery of different insights into marketing queries. He loves exploring the many facets of marketing as he finds each and every one unique.