With ever-developing worldwide restrictions, businesses this year have faced changes that could have never been anticipated. Almost every sector and profession have been forced to react to changing customer needs, resulting in new marketing plans and even entire business models!
Although the Digital Marketing industry is no stranger to change, the last 6 months, in particular, have seen a shift in ways of thinking. This year, we have seen adaptations to our routines which have ultimately changed the way we interact with brands online.
Whether you work in or study marketing, or just want to learn something new, educating yourself on the key elements of change in the field could help you better understand businesses from a wider perspective.
Social media credibility is vital
With the majority of office-workers now working remotely, and with flexible working being more readily accepted, employees and students alike are naturally spending more time online. Studies have shown an increase in social media engagement of 61% since (Ofcom, 2020) the beginning of lockdown measures and it’s not surprising. With more freedom to use mobile devices outside of offices, social media is becoming more widely used, not only for communication but also for entertainment and news.
We are more reliant on social media now than ever before, reaching out to brands via messaging platforms and following pages for updates. With this, our expectation of immediacy has evolved. Users want information and they want to be able to tune in quickly. Social media presence is no longer just about regular posting, but increasingly vital in areas such as message response rates, relevance and brand tone of voice.
People are more comfortable with video
As we’ve had to limit human social interaction this year, more people have taken to finding new ways to stay connected – thanks to technology. Those who wouldn’t normally use things such as video calling apps have adapted to change, which has led to them being used more universally.
With this, people have become a lot more comfortable with video content – did you know 1/3 of users now watch online video (Ofcom, 2020) as appose to TV? Not only that, but with more people being at home, concerns around mobile data, headphones and/or noise on public transport are reducing, meaning users can watch video content more freely.
We’re buying more online
It’s no surprise that over the course of the year our shopping habits have changed, triggering eCommerce sales to soar. Making up 33.4% of all retail sales combined (Office for national statistics, 2020), online shopping has become the new way to shop for a lot of people who have traditionally bought on the high street.
People are more comfortable with the idea of buying things online that have until now been bought in-store, such as groceries from Amazon Pantry. Even as high-street stores open their doors, online sales are expected to remain high. After all, if there’s a more efficient way to do something, why change?
Digital marketing is no doubt a very agile industry, which is by no means a stranger to change. But, understanding the changes in digital marketing could prepare you in a wider range of subject areas too. Understanding how consumers interact with businesses could help you form a broader perspective towards your career or study goals.
Are you interested in developing your skills in Business and Marketing? Check out our MSc Marketing course.
Sources:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2020/uk-internet-use-surges
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/bulletins/retailsales/may2020
https://sendpulse.com/blog/marketing-post-covid19-quarantine