Digital Marketing Plan for Unilever: Opportunities, Challenges and Impact

This report discusses the digital marketing landscape and its comparison with offline marketing, opportunities and challenges of digital marketing, digital tools, platforms and physical channels, and a digital marketing plan for Unilever. It also covers the subject of Unit 24 Digital Marketing.

Digital Marketing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the digital marketing landscape and its comparison with offline marketing.........3
Opportunities of digital marketing..............................................................................................4
Challenges and impacts of digital marketing..............................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
Digital tools, platforms and physical channels...........................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
The opportunities and challenges of a digital hardware landscape ............................................7
Develop a digital marketing plan................................................................................................7
The use of omni-channel marketing to ensure the consistency of the consumer experience in
every aspect...............................................................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
Monitoring and measuring digital marketing............................................................................10
Present a set of actions to improve performance in digital marketing......................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES:.............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Digital marketing is promotion of brands via online platforms. It helps to persuade the
customers to buy the products and services of the company (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019).
This report is based on Unilever, it is a British Multinational consumer goods organisation that
has headquarters in London. This report is based on digital marketing used by Unilever. In the
initial part of this report there is discussion related to digital marketing landscape and its
comparison with traditional marketing. The trends and insights of digital marketing are also
analysed. Afterwards the tools and hardware's used in digital marketing are mentioned in this
report. Multi channel digital marketing strategy is formulated in this report. The evaluation of
omni-channel marketing is discussed in this report. The measurement techniques and
performance matrices is part of this report. In the end of this report there there are actions that
will help to improve performance of digital marketing.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Overview of the digital marketing landscape and its comparison with offline marketing
Digital marketing can be defined as marketing by use of internet. Due change is trend
now it is time to digital marketing. It assist to persuade the customers so that they buy goods and
services of the organisation (Bala and Verma, 2018). Digital marketing includes social media
marketing, content marketing, e-mail marketing, SEO that support to promote the brand via
online platform. In relation to Unilever, the business organisation is innovative and use latest
technology. It helps them to use digital marketing and achieve competitors advantage. The use of
right tools and techniques by Unilever assist them to attract the customers towards the
organisation.
The difference in online and offline marketing
Basis Online Marketing Offline Marketing
Focus The focus of online marketing is
on content.
The focus of offline marketing is on
product.
Meaning Online marketing can be defined
as use of online platform to
It is traditional marketing that is used
to promote the foods via traditional

promote the goods and services of
the company.
platforms.
Communication The mode of communication is e-
mails, chat, social media
(Kingsnorth, 2019).
Herein, the business organisation by
directly contacting the customer or by
calling them.
Price It is a cost effective form of
marketing.
It is high cost as compared to offline
marketing.
Key benefits of digital marketing
The various benefits that Unilever gets by using digital marketing are as follows:
 Global Reach: Unilever is a multinational business organisation that has its operations
around the globe. The use of digital marketing facilitates them to reach more customers.
By use of effective digital marketing tools Unilever is able to reach more and more
customers and persuade them.
 Improved Conversion Rate: The major benefit of digital marketing is improvement in
conversion rate. It is seen that Unilever is able to convert more customers and that has
positive impact on the sales of the organisation.
 Win customer loyalty: It is examined that the use of digital marketing tools assist in
gaining loyal customers (Desai, 2019). Unilever is able to communicate effectively with
the customers and provide them value. It helps the company to achieve loyal customers.
Opportunities of digital marketing
It is a new era of digitalisation. The business organisation must understand the
importance of digital marketing and grab the opportunities in the market. It is necessary to
change with the trend and attract customers. The opportunities are discussed below:
1. By understanding the customer insights, Unilever will be able to serve the needs and
wants of customers in an effective manner. It provides opportunities to the organisation
as they are able to know about the trend in market (Hanlon, 2019). The proper
understanding of needs and wants of customers will help the company to achieve success
and growth. The customer insights are as follows:

 Artificial Intelligence in marketing: It is seen that artificial intelligence help the business
organisation to know about the pattern of purchases made by the customers. It facilitates
the purchasing of customers and enhance the experience.
 Changing customers: The trend is changing in the market and due to the reason the
needs and wants of customers is also changing. It is analysed that to fulfil the changing
needs and desires of the customers the business organisation must provide digital services
to the customers.
2. The next opportunity of using digital marketing is rise of online consumer power. There
is need to understand that customers prefer the organisation that has online presence and
this impacts the business organisation (Gupta, 2018). In this regard Unilever switched to
digital platform to achieve success by serving the powerful customers via online mode.
Challenges and impacts of digital marketing
1. It is seen that there are chances negative publicity easily. If the needs and expectations of
the customer are not fulfilled then the business organisation can face the issue of negative
publicity.
2. It becomes difficult track the usage of multiple channels that are being used by the
customers. This is a challenging task for the business organisation.
3. There is rise in competition and that causes issue for the business organisation and that is
challenging for them.
TASK 2
Digital tools, platforms and physical channels
The use of digital platforms and the internet for revenue generation:
Digital platforms is the most widely used platforms in the competitive market. Internet is
taking rapid rise in the whole world which become an essential part for every individual life.
Many business are accepting digital channels as a source of their revenue creation (Purwanti,
2021). Organisations earning high profits through selling their product online which is become
the most convenient way for the people. There are various platforms like social media, Emails,
web hosting and
The role of digital marketing communications in relation to the 7ps:

As the marketing elements of 7ps which includes product, price, place, promotion,
people, process and physical evidence. These elements have impacted with digital marketing.
The Unilever needs to provide product at best price through giving discounts on websites.
Products must be exchanged and return by gibing box opening videos and pictures. It would be
serve through online places like Instagram and Facebook through which company could take
orders. Promotion and physical evidence could be through online channels and customer
reviewed which will help customer to trust the brand.
Different digital tools and hardware:
There are various tools and hardware which helps in effective digital market. These tools
are in contrast to bricks and motor. It is the effective platforms which serve both online and
offline way to sell products to give valuable experience to the customer. In contrasting with this
concept, the digital tools are analytical tool, content marketing tool as well as social media
platforms (Herhausen and et.al., 2020). Google analytical tools is required to keep the check on
activity and track traffics. Tools like hub spot are the content marketing tools which helps in
attractive promotions through web.
Growth of online transactions and E-commerce:
E-commerce is highly growing in the market. It takes rise from the 1990 when there are
various changes in the traditional ways of doing business. Due to arrival of internet, E-
commerce has gain many changes in ways of selling, promoting and making customer
engagement in Unilever. It enables online transactions in which customer can easily pay through
phone without having cash in hand. Unilever has adopted Ex-commercial platforms through
websites and collaborating with online retailers. It helps them reaching to large customer and
serve products globally.
Role of automated and non-automated sales activities
Automated sales activities refers to those task and practices which take place in
reputation. This enables use of software to send mails, regular check on pricing, keeping updates
documentation to avoid waste of time (De Pelsmacker, Van Tilburg and Holthof, 2018). This
helps the Unilever to boost their sales by focusing on practical problems in the market and
customers. Whereas, non sales automated activities lead to becomes traditional way to keep all
the records, send mails and documentation in written manner. This process takes much time due
to which company many loose sales opportunity and providing best facilities to its customer.

Automated sales provide benefits in after sale service, exchange and return and solving
customer queries.
TASK 3
The opportunities and challenges of a digital hardware landscape
Digital landscape is a collective landscape that includes websites, social networks,email
and mobile devices in order to sell the products and services of the company. It is seen that there
are various opportunities and challenges that are discussed below:
 Opportunities: Unilever will be able to reach more and more customer's. It is seen that
using all these platforms have wide reach and helps the company to attract more and
more customers.
 Threats: The problems is there is lack of skilled staff. Unilever is unable to manage
using right platform that will help the business organisation to achieve success and
growth.
Develop a digital marketing plan
It is necessary for the business organisation to formulate effective digital marketing plan.
It helps the company set clear objectives and work to achieve them. It is necessary to work
according to the plan and achieve the tasks in an effective manner. The use of SOSTAC model
will help Unilever to achieve goals and objectives successfully. It is important for Unilever to
understand that they can achieve success and growth by using multiple channels in a effective
way (Alghizzawi, 2019). Creating right portfolio will help to reach the potential customers in an
effective manner. The company will make use right channel to achieve goals and objectives in an
effective manner. The digital marketing plan for Unilever is formulated below:
SOSTAC Model
It is a model that helps to formulate digital marketing plan and implement it in an
effective manner. All the stages must be followed in an effective manner so that Unilever is able
to achieve success.

Situation analysis: It is seen that there is need to adopt new and updated technology. It is
era of digitalisation and the business organisation must use right channels so that they are able to
gin advantage over the competitors. Digital marketing plan will help Unilever to achieve goals
and objectives according to situation.
Strength
 It is a multinational organisation that
has established strong image
(Bizhanova and et.al., 2019). The
business organisation is able to serve
the needs and wants of customers in an
effective manner by providing quality
products.
Weaknesses
 The company does not have staff
members that are able to use digital
technology in an effective manner.
There is need to hire new employees
that have skills and knowledge related
to digital marketing.
Opportunities
 There are opportunities present in
market. The task is Unilever must adopt
digital technology and this will help
them to enhance the customer base.
Threats
 The rising competition is threat for
Unilever. It is seen that the organisation
has to form strong strategies that help
them to provide better then the
customers.
Strategy: To achieve the objectives, Unilever must set effective strategies that will help
them to achieve success. STP will help the business organisation so that they are able to achieve
success.
 Segmentation: It is seen that Unilever uses demographic factors so that they are able
achieve success. It is seen that there is need to select right group of customers that they
want to serve. There are various basis of segmentation such as demographic, geographic,
behavioural.
 Targeting: It is seen that targeting best customer group will help the business
organisation to understand the need of potential customers in an effective manner (Vieira
and et.al., 2019). They target customers on demographic basis.

 Positioning: It is a way to set image of the company ion the minds of customers. In
relation to Unilever the business organisation is famous for serving the customers with
quality products.
Objectives: The objectives are set by the organisation and they work to achieve them.
These are the end goals that the company wants to achieve. The objectives set by
Unilever are as follows:
 To use right digital media platforms.
 To reach more customers and enhance the customer base by 10% To enhance the sales by 5 % in next quarter
Tactics: Tactics are the ways that are used by Unilever is order to achieve the goals and
objectives in an effective manner. It is important to work according to them so that they are able
to achieve the task. It will help the company to use digital marketing in an effective manner.
Unilever will adopt the following tactics: Product: The company will focus on quality of the products served by them. It is seen
that they will promote the product of the company so that they are able to promote the
same in an effective manner.
 Price: The company uses competitive pricing so that they are able to enhance sales. It
helps to attract the customers are achieve success.
 Place: The use of digital marketing does not target any place. It is see that using
digitalisation helps Unilever to reach more and more customers. Promotion: There is need to use digital marketing tools to attract the customers. In
relation to Unilever they will use social media marketing and e-mails marketing to attract
more and more customers (Minculete and Olar, 2018). It will help them to serve the
needs and wants of customers in an effective manner.
Actions: The action plan helps the company to achieve the goals and objectives in an
effective manner. The budget will help to support the objectives and achieve them.
Particulars Amount (£)
Marketing 10000
Promotional activity 20000

Plant and machinery 120000
Digital media 7000
Total 148000
Control: It is important to take control measures so that they are able to know about their
real position. It is necessary for Unilever to check the performance and take measures to make
improvements. The use of Key performance indicators will help Unilever to know about their
performance and make changes. The return on investment and conversion rate will help the
business organisation in order to achieve success.
The use of omni-channel marketing to ensure the consistency of the consumer experience in
every aspect.
Omni channel marketing helps to enhance the experience of the customers. It helps them
to use best platforms that enhance the working of the business organisation. It enhances the trust
of the customers in the organisation and enhance loyalty of the customers. The business
organisations nowadays have understood the importance of multi-channel marketing. It help
them to get benefit of using all the channels in an effective and efficient manner (Saura, Palos-
Sanchez and Correia, 2019). The company is able to satisfy the needs and wants of the
customers. It helps to communicate effectively with the customers. It is a customer centric
approach that helps the business organisation interact with the customers in an effective manner.
The use right tactics will help, Unilever to achieve success. It provides seam-less
experience to the customers. They are able to enhance sales of the organisation. The customers
preferences are know to the organisation by using right channels of marketing. It is necessary for
the company to select combination of best channels in order to enhance the experience of
customers. Unilever will use social media marketing as it has wide reach and cost friendly. The
use of e-mail marketing will help to contact and communicate with each and every customer and
persuade them.
TASK 4
Monitoring and measuring digital marketing
The ways to monitor the effectiveness of the digital marketing are as follows:

Overall website traffic: It is seen that by checking the traffic on the website, Unilever
will be able to achieve success. The primary goal of the organisation is to enhance the traffic on
the website and then convert the customers. It is important to check the traffic on website of
Unilever.
Onsite Analytics: It helps Unilever to take actions based on the customers. It is seen that
all the actions that are taken by the customers are analyzed and then Unilever check arrival and
leaving time of the customers.
The use of key performance indicators will help the business organization. These are the
quantitative measurements that can be taken by the company to measure the overall performance
of company. The KPI's are as follow:
New visitors: Unilever checks the number of new visitors on the website. It helps them to
know about the change in number and analyses the performance.
Present a set of actions to improve performance in digital marketing
It is important for Unilever to take actions that will help them to enhance the
performance. It is seen that there is need to take suitable actions that will help to improve the
overall performance of digital marketing of company.
Improvements Implication Resources Time
Omni channel
marketing strategy
It will provide
personalised experience
to the customers. It will
also help the business to
reach the target
customers (Beher and
et.al., 2020).
Need of expertise
knowledge and digital
marketing skills,
1 Month
Take feedback of
customers
There will be option of
providing direct
feedback on the website
so that real image can be
analysed.
Well designed website 15 Days
Artificial intelligence It helps Unilever to Team of experts and 1 Month

know about the trend in
market related to
customers.
right software
CONCLUSION
From the above report, there is discussion related to digital marketing. Comparison
among traditional and online marketing is done. The key trends and insights that fuel the growth
of digital marketing are also discussed. The tools and hardware that assist the business
organisation are discussed. Digital marketing plan for company is formulated. In the end of this
report there is discussion related to measurement techniques and actions that will help to enhance
the performance.

REFERENCES:
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