Digital Marketing Strategies & Practices

This assignment delves into the realm of digital marketing, examining its evolution, key strategies, and practical applications. It encourages students to critically analyze contemporary marketing practices in the digital landscape, considering factors such as social media, e-commerce, and data analytics. The readings provided offer insights into various aspects of digital marketing, including targeting children and adolescents, measuring customer satisfaction, and demonstrating the value of marketing efforts.

Customer Focus and Digital Marketing project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Question 1: Concept of digital, services and the customer.........................................................1
Question 2: Where is digital or service research today? How has it impacted on today’s
customer?....................................................................................................................................2
What directions has it taken?.....................................................................................................2
Question 3: What is social media platforms, how it has impacted on the organisation and How
does management cope with the changing market through a digital..........................................3
Platform? How might it compare to a Goods-Dominant Logic compare to the........................3
Service Dominant Logic?...........................................................................................................3
Question 4. What is value and strategies to enhance the digital perspective. ............................5
Question 5. Impacts of digital marketing on management theories............................................6
Question 6. Impact of niche marketing on small retailers .........................................................7
Question 7: Importance of consumption. Particular by the digital platform...............................7
Question 8. Research through secondary data............................................................................8
Question 9.Impacts of organisation functions on strategies........................................................9
Question 10.Impact of digital services on the customers and most importantly on the
businesses....................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
In the today's era digital marketing is the most important aspect for the organisation when they
are marketing their products or generating awareness. It is the most appropriate way by which
venture can create connection with the customers and have effective communication with the
target market. Other than that it is most effective strategy by which venture can create able to
create their brand image in the eye of customers and market place. Digital marketing is the very
innovative and novel concept in the 21st century. With the different platforms of digital
marketing, organisation can promote their product and services with the helps of database-driven
online distribution channels to approach consumers in an appropriate, significant, individual, and
lucrative manner (Montgomery and Chester, 2013). There are several platforms of digital
marketing that are search engine optimisation, social media advertisement, web marketing, e-
mail marketing, pay per clicks, wireless text messages, instant messages, RSS, blogging, fax,
video streams, podcasting, broadcast, etc. Other than that there are several other platforms that
are included in the digital marketing which are coming from the tradition time, that are TV,
radio, print and billboard etc. Digital marketing has become so powerful network of advertising,
that with the introduction of “Double click” strategy of Google for internet, the people in world
has become very close link-up to each and every place conveniently. For this report of essay,
Hilton hotel have been selected which serve accommodation to their customers. It is most
renown organisation in the tour and travel industry, which serve innovative products, amenities
and services. Amenities (O'Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson, 2013).
Question 1: Concept of digital, services and the customer
Digital marketing is the way by which organisation promote their products and services
with the help of web based technologies. There are several platforms that are included in the
digital marketing such as search engine optimisation, pay per clicks, video streams, podcasting,
broadcast, social media advertisement such as Facebook, Twitter etc. It is had become most
important factor for the organisation in order to promote their brand and products and services.
Different marketing campaigns are being created by the different ventures where they can
promote their business in very cost effective and convenient manner. It has been founded that
digital marketing have enhances to various aspects such as broadband internet, Wi-Fi network,
and mobile phone access (Chaffey and Patron, 2012). Other than that it have been analysed that
there is 10% increase in these new technologies by January 2011 to January 2012. The attitude of
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the managers have been changed after the introduction of digital technologies and marketing.
They new take marketing as positive aspect. This is because it helps the venture to create
effective connection and communication with the target market (Persons and Waitman, 2012).
Other than that when it comes to the service industry, these organisations do not have any
products in order to attract customers but they need to create public relation so that they can sell
their services. It is very important for the services based industry to retain their customers. In
order to retain old clients, they need to market their brand with the help of word of mouth (Wang
and Tang, 2011). Other than that it is very significant for keep the existing customers satisfied so
that they can communicate the brand to other customers. Public relation is the most significant
part of service industry which can be created with the help of digital marketing.
Customers are the assets of organisation, if the venture is not able to cater the needs and
wants of customers, they the venture will not have success. Customers are the end user of
products and services. The venture should have this belief that the person should have maximum
satisfaction from their products and services and person who consumes products and have
satisfaction, that is known as customers. For the organisation, there are two types of customers
that are existing and new customers (Balasubramanian and Sawhney, 2013). Both of them are
very significant for the venture. When it comes to the service industry, then quality of services
and promotional techniques is very important
Question 2: Where is digital or service research today? How has it impacted on today’s
customer?
What directions has it taken?
Digital and service research is the use of digital technologies to change the way research
is undertaken and make it possible to tackle new research challenges. Virtual Operating Systems
is the most common tool for digital research (Frick, 2010). It is most important in the computer
industry. With the help of digital research, organisation can collect all information about the
customers and different stakeholders so that they can able to create different strategies to market
their products and services. In today's era it is very effective way, such as the organisation want
to know the taste and preferences of the customers related to the new service of product of
organisation. The venture is mainly focused on the research so that they can able to serve
innovative products and services to customers (Brooks, 2014). It is very important for the
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venture to know the needs, wants, preference and taste of the customers. There are different
digital platforms by which organisation can collect the information about the customers. In the
today's era it has been increasing day by day. Different short survey made by the organisation
when customers visit their websites. Other than that google also plays very significant role in
digital research. They also ask several questions from the customers related to the different
organisation (Montgomery and Chester, 2013).
It has very great impact over the customers, now the organisation are able to cater their
needs and wants. Customers satisfaction is increasing day by day. With that information about
the products and services have great impact over the decision making of customers bro selecting
the brand. If the venture is able to serve sufficient information about the products, the decision of
the customer will be in the favour of organisation. A strong emphasis on research impact with a
greater need to collect evidence and stronger and more diverse partnerships and promotion of
broad social impact (O'Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson, 2013). There are several trends in the digital
technologies, that are social network and social media, mobile computing and mobile working,
analytic and big data, The Internet of 'Things', Consumerisation of IT, Cloud computing,
Security etc. These aspects of digital marketing have very great emphasis on the customers as
well as different organisation specially on service based.
The key direction it has taken to the customers as a Kind with the connection of digital
technologies and marketings. The organisation are now focusing on the needs and wants of the
customers and attract large target market with the help of different strategies of digital marketing
(Meyrowitz, 2017).
Question 3: What is social media platforms, how it has impacted on the organisation and How
does management cope with the changing market through a digital
platform? How might it compare to a Goods-Dominant Logic compare to the
Service Dominant Logic?
Social media platforms is the computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation
and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual
communities and networks. In simple words it can be said that it is web based applicable which
helps the different people to communicate and connect. The user create their own profile on
those applications so that they can connect with the other profiles (Chaffey and Patron, 2012).
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There are several platforms of social media that are Facebook, Google Plus, CafeMom, Gather,
Fitsugar, Twitter, Tumblr, Posterous, WordPress, Blogger, Squarespace, Amazon ratings,
Angie’s List, Flikr, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Vimeo, Viddler, Check-ins, Facebook Places,
Foursquare, Yelp, Groupon, Living Social, Crowdsavings etc.
These platforms have very great impact over the organisation, it has impacted over the
internal communication, customer services, marketing communication etc. these are the 3 key
areas which are highly influences by the social media platforms. When it comes to the internal
communication, different organisation have created corporate social networks where they
communicate with the members of the venture, information is very services as the authorised
person have access to have information (Persons and Waitman, 2012). Other than it helps the
venture to communicate with the customers with the help of Facebook, Google Plus, CafeMom,
Gather, Fitsugar, Twitter, Tumblr etc. it is very effective in marketing connections with the
customers. The venture can able to communicate out their brand with the help of different
marketing campaigns (Wang and Tang, 2011).
It has been analysed that perception of organisation and customers are changing day by
day. The customers now wants new product at every new purchase. Thus, it becomes very
difficult for the venture to retain them and create them as a loyal customer (Frick, 2010). With
the help of digital technology and marketing, organisation communicate innovate products and
services which helps them to retain them.
Goods-dominant organisation are those which market their products or physical products
which can be touch. On the other hand services-dominant venture are those which serve different
services such as doctor, teach, accommodation, transportation, teacher, consultant etc. these
venturers do not have products to market. Thus, they need to focus on creating public
relationship so that they can attract customers (Brooks, 2014). In services based industry like
Hilton Hotel, venture need to serve different promotional activities such as Discounts, promo
discount services, royalty benefits etc. other than that when the customers are visiting their hotels
or resort, they need to serve other services such as proper Hygienic rooms and restroom, free
breakfast etc.
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Question4. What is value and strategies to enhance the digital perspective.
Value is the beliefs or some ideas created by organisation to accomplish the objective.
Values create the benefits and opportunities to expand the business growth. Hilton which is
brand known brand in hospitality industries provide luxurious accommodation facilities to their
guests. Its value is provides quality services to their customers. And maintain long term relations
with them(Stone, and Woodcock, 2014.). In economic terms value means the satisfaction level
of customers by which organisation earns revenue. All companies have different values towards
its customers. Cocreated. Value helps to maximize the satisfaction level of customers.
Values cocreated from management. Value comes from the management hard work and
from organisation goals. Values create healthy relationship between Hilton team members and
increase their relationship between each other. Cocreated values comes from experiences, formal
& informal relationships. Value is cocreated from customers to getting quality of services of
Hilton hotels. Values shows the business ethics Which explain the Hilton environment which
creates the smooth working in the organisation. Co-created values of Hilton is quality services,
luxurious accommodation facilities and healthy working environment. Hilton services are
created by talented employees. It is a big brand image in the hospitality management.
Organisation creates its own value. Values shows the future path on which company has to go.
These values are needs to be modify and effective so that Hilton earn maximum revenue.
It can be enhance by digital perspective. Like Hilton needs to create and expand their services
through digitally. Nowadays organisation minimize their cost by using digital platform. They use
SEO, SEM, PPC. These are the strategies through which Hilton hotel can attract more new
customers across the world. Digital platform gives high expansion growth to the business. Like
SEM (Search engine optimization) this technique helps to take company on top of the raking list.
This tool of digital marketing can attract more new customers it is called digital marketing.
Second tool is SEM (Search engine marketing) this is a form of online marketing. It increases the
visibility power of Hilton website. This tool of digital marketing customer attraction. Reason
behind using these techniques is increase the Hilton expansion and full fill customer satisfaction.
Value co-creation and co-production these are the two terms which shows the different
criteria of working(Hanssens, and Pauwels, 2016.). Co-creation means which companies bring
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from its work experience and co-production means which organisation produced like goods and
services.
Question5. Impacts of digital marketing on management theories.
Digital prospects has wide scope in the hospitality sector. Digital platform which gives
highly preferences to the values of the organisation. Digital platform gives highly advanced
techniques which helps to minimize the costs of the business and gives higher output level. It
gives huge technical knowledge to the customers or to employees as well. It helps to increase the
skills and capability among employees and customers. Digital platform provides various
advantages to the organisation like it gives huge customer attraction, higher customer
satisfaction, minimize the time costs(Rigby, Sutherland, and Takeuchi, 2016.). Digital platform
helps to reach globally. On the other side it also gives negative impacts on customers or
employees like. New technologies sometimes doesn't understand by employees they couldn't
handle the way of working and fails to achieve the target. It shows lack of skills and required
training by the managers. Digital platform includes many positive and negative impacts. It
requires knowledge and way of working. It also requires various safety reasons to protect the
data of the company. Organisation has to invest huge amount on safety purposes. Sometimes
cyber terrorist hack the website of the company and take all the information of the company. It is
very dangerous thing which harm to the company growth. Digital scenario gives opportunities
along with highly involved risk as well Which tends to show pitfalls.
Digital theories minimize the scope of marketing theories. Like SEO (Search engine
optimization) these techniques improves the management theories and gives new opportunity
powers. Digital theories may impact positively or negatively both. It gives customer focus on the
other side it requires training process of employees. Without the knowledge employees doesn't
understand the work properly(Royle, and Laing, 2014.). Digital platform minimize the
importance of marketing theories. Management theories like game theory in which includes only
profit maximization. On the other side digital platform identifying the needs and requirements of
customers. Digital analyse the wide range of requirements and current services. Overall digital
platform is the new version of traditional approaches.
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Question 6. Impact of niche marketing on small retailers
Digital platform is a high huge techniques implications process. This technique generally
used by high retailers. This platform is for every person but still there is a few small retailers
who doesn't adopt the digital marketing strategies due to lack of support and knowledge because
these retailers are target small number of customers and focused on particular buyers. Nowadays
customers doesn't understand the proper transaction process and fails to reach the satisfaction
level(Finne, Grönroos, and Grönroos, 2017.). Digital marketing reducing the interest of small
retailers. Large number of customers are belonged to the village area they fail to understand
online transaction and prefer to go off line small retailers. On the other side small retailers fails
to expand their business on large scale and couldn't achieve the digital platform. Niche marketing
strategies generally adopted by small scale of businesses which focuses on particular segments.
Question 7: Importance of consumption. Particular by the digital platform.
Nowadays in 21st century where customers purchase its required product they can easily
purchase anywhere and any time. Now every thing is goes digitally. Customers are very smart to
consume their own product anytime. Like they want to book hotel accommodation they can
easily visit the hotel website and book their room according to their choice. These facilities are
give more satisfaction level to the buyers. Like Hotel Hilton provides there all services on their
own sites customers can get all requires information on that place without going to that hotel.
This is the reason why customers are goes more smartly anywhere. Digital platform have huge
services by which both the party get satisfied and full fill their needs. Today customers can buy
anywhere and any time. They can also get their product within few days after giving money
through digitally(Ryan, 2016.). Highly advanced internet connections gives faster transaction.
Digital program increase the consumption level. It helps to increase the flexibilities
between transactions and make smooth process. Furthermore, 90% of businesses are run online
and get maximum profit revenue. It gives new future opportunities and variety of services in
digital platform consumption become easier and flexible. They don't need much time through the
customers just few seconds and your requirement is ready for you. Hilton hotel are very
advanced in online marketing. They give their information through social sites or through their
own website where buyer can get all new updated information easily. Clients also solve there
query online by giving suggestions(Baker, and Saren, 2016). Companies also provides review
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suggestions strategies by which customer can give their own suggestions for improvement in
services to the company.
Today's customers are very smart to identify their needs and they also identify the best
services out off many alternatives. Customers are now habitual to purchase their product and
services through online platform. They don't want to go market and waist there lots of time for
selecting the things. Now they purchase online. At present consumption process become very
easier and effective. Consumption is the thing on which customer invest huge amount of money
to get satisfied(Spiller, and Tuten, 2015.). Online services are very popular in UK. On the other
side digital platform also increase the productivity in internal environment of the organisation.
They provide advanced method of working which creates more competency level among
employees or gives best services to their customers. Furthermore, digital platform increase the
consumption level and also create huge market competition among other competitors.
Question 8. Research through secondary data
Secondary data is data which collected by third party rather than user. Generally the
sources of secondary data is books, magazines, reviews of the third persons etc. Market research
is the most important key factor by which company identify the key areas on which they can earn
profit. Market researches by secondary data in which organisation collects information from
third party. Like Hilton research on customers needs and requirements they can collect their data
through online platform like from Facebook, twitter, Instagram. That what are the needs of
customers what they want more in accommodation. Organisation may collects lots of
information through the market research. Market research is the refreshing tool of the company
by which they add new product and services through identifying external market through
secondary data. Hilton manager get their research data through secondary data for that they need
to identify the needs on the basis of gender, age, or culture. Customers are very dynamic in
natures. Their needs requirements are different from each others. Based on their nature. Research
helps to identify all those factors. Secondary data helps to take corrective action plans for making
business more effective. Secondary data gives most important information regarding the
potential customers. In hospitality sector innovative product and services are very important to
grow. For that Hilton wants innovative strategies after identifying the current trends of the
customers. Secondary data is based on current or previous informations Which is related to
customers wants. Research gives new future opportunities and protect from future uncertainties.
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Problem solving helps to correct action plans and add some more things to increase the
employees' productivity. Research also helps to gather the information of competitors strategies.
Question 9.Impacts of organisation functions on strategies.
In every structure there are many organisation function which helps to accomplish the
target together. Like HR department, finance, operational and marketing department. These all
departments are worked for the main objectives(Armstrong, Kotler, Harker, and Brennan,
2015.). All the departments are interrelated with each other like HR division helps to hire
talented employees on the basis of roles & requirements. HR manager of Hilton have duty to
make potential team members which gives higher efficiency in working. On the other finance
department take care about the money requirement in the company. This department is the blood
of the organisation which gives money to purchase the necessary requirements resources. On the
other side operational division which assist the day to day activities of Hilton hotel. All these
aspects of the organisation helps to accomplish the strategies goals. Hilton works as a team each
department take care about the other department. And gives good team work. Every business
plans need to implement properly according to the planning. Strategies need dedicated team
members, good amount of money to purchase new technologies and good day to day
implementation. For that they need proper support of HR departments, finance and operational
respectively.
Question10. Impact of digital services on the customers and most importantly on the businesses.
Digital services gives wide scope to the customers. It provides many products and
services and gives higher satisfaction to the customers. Digital services expand the standard of
living and maintain their satisfaction level of customers. Customers attracts from many
innovative services like nowadays. Customer can buy any product from anywhere. It helps to
satisfy the needs and wants of the buyers. And gives higher satisfaction level. Furthermore,
buyers get all details regarding product or any services with the help of websites So that this
digital evaluation gives many services. But on the other side this innovative evaluation gives
negative impacts on small scale businesses. Which is not capable to promote their business
digitally(Chaffey,Smith,and Smith, 2013.). These retailers deal with offline selling and earn
profit. This digital platform requires proper learning and knowledge which most of the small
businesses doesn't have. This online platform diminish the profit of small business man and
increase competition level.
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Effects of digital marketing on businesses:
Digital Marketing: It is a process of marketing of as service or a product by a company
using the electronic or digital, online medium. It also includes the use of other mediums like
mobile & display advertising. It is mainly based on techniques of Search Engine
Optimization(SEO), & digital advertisements. With the passage of time & advancement of
technology, it ha s became an mandatory & popular means of marketing.
The most popular digital marketing techniques are:
 Social media platform: It includes the Social media platforms such as Facebook &
Twitter as the major tool to promote a product or a service. The product is been trended
or made popular by advertisements on the Facebook page of the company or by
popularizing the hashtags related to the product or services.
Positive effect of Social media platform:
 It is nowadays the most used medium. So promotion of a service or product on a social
media platform increase the reach of the advertisements to a wider audience.
 It improves the interaction of the customers with the company. A consumer can directly
give its output about the product or service directly to the company.
 The Social media platform also plays an important role in making the brand image of the
company(Royle, and Laing, 2014). It maintains the interest of customer in the product.
Negative impact of Social media:
 Regular notification & advertisements can be irritating & disturbing to the customer's.
 It can attract the unwanted attraction towards the product.
 Online Purchasing: It makes the product or services directly available to the customers.
It is time saving & interactive method of marketing as it provides detailed information of
the product. But the uncertainty of the product or service quality which is been a major
issue to increase doubt on this method.
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 Mobile Marketing: With the rise in popularity of mobile devices, many companies have
launched their mobile apps to connect directly with the customers. It removes an
intermediary element between customer & the company.
Benefits: It is a fast & easy method to promote & purchase the product.
Issues: It have trust issues. Quality of product is usually questionable. Also it fills the device
with unwanted notifications.
CONCLUSION
Digital marketing is the key technique to focus customer attraction. Online platform gives
wider product and services immediately without wasting the time. Buyers purchase their services
through online websites within a second. Online gives more flexibility to their customers and
gives higher satisfaction level. From the above report, it was concluded that digital marketing
strategies helps to expand the business and earns customer trust and support. It also concluded
the online benefits of Hilton hotel which is situated in UK. It has big brand value. And the
positive and negative impacts of digital platform on small scale businesses and on the customers
as well. Furthermore, it was explained about the different tools and techniques of digital
marketing like, SEO, SEM, PPC. These all techniques increase the Hilton image in front of the
organisation. And negative impacts of digital marketing is that they minimize the scope of small
enterprises. On the other side it involves risk about the product and services customer cannot
check their services face to face at the time of purchasing. Overall it involves both the positive
and negative factors.
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