Did the pandemic change digital advertising and marketing for good? – RetailWire
09/10/2021
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A summary of Article by Marketing chartsproviding up-to-date data and research to marketers.
A report from Salesforce shows that nine in ten marketing executives believe their digital engagement strategy has changed completely (48 percent) or slightly (42 percent) since the pandemic.
The vast majority use social media (91 percent), digital advertising (91 percent), digital content (88 percent), websites and apps (86 percent), email (76 percent) and mobile (69 percent). About nine in ten also say they use video, topping the list of channels that have seen the most appreciation over the past year.
While 84 percent of those surveyed state that they use events and sponsoring, the shift towards virtual and hybrid events is obvious. By 2022, respondents expect 40 percent of their events to be virtual, while hybrid events will make up 30 percent.
To connect with customers through these digital channels, marketers use a full toolbox of engagement tactics. Unsurprisingly, video plays a huge role. About 81 percent are using preproduced video and 73 percent are using live stream video, while 13 percent and 19 percent have plans to use these tactics, respectively.
Two thirds of marketers are currently using influencer marketing, while more than a quarter (27 percent) are planning to use it. In addition, 93 percent are either currently (60 percent) using or planning to use (33 percent) user-generated content, and a similar proportion are currently (61 percent) using or planning to use (30 percent) interactive content.
The coordination of the channels used has gained momentum since the pandemic. Only 31 percent of marketers described their cross-channel coordination as dynamic in 2018. Today this share has more than doubled (68 percent). 78 percent said they retained customers in real time through one or more marketing channels.
The role of technology in this real-time engagement has not gone unnoticed, with a whopping 83 percent of respondents saying their work will be more technology-driven than before after the pandemic.
The survey of more than 8,000 global marketing directors from B2B, B2C and B2B2C companies was conducted in May and June.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What lessons has the pandemic taught retailers and brands about digital engagement? Which digital marketing tools received the biggest boost during the pandemic?
Brain trust
“The pandemic changed digital marketing, and digital marketing during the pandemic definitely changed retail.”
“Marketers had to look to new ways to get customers’ attention, and digital engagement was key.”
“Digital engagement is a three-way path: between the retailer and the customer and between the customer and the world (via social media).”
