MKG203 - Digital Marketing: Current Trends, Risks, and Strategies

This assignment is a blog activity focused on current issues in digital marketing communications. It discusses the advantages and risks of social media marketing, particularly for small business enterprises. It explores the potential for both positive publicity and negative feedback, emphasizing the importance of managing online reputation. The assignment also delves into digital marketing strategies suitable for small businesses, including search engine optimization, social media engagement, and content marketing. It highlights the significance of the digital marketing mix and media selection for effective customer targeting and relationship management. The blog posts linked provide further insights into these digital marketing topics.

Digital Marketing
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Contents
Current Issues in Digital Marketing...........................................................................................3
Social media- an advantage or a risk......................................................................................3
Small business enterprises and digital marketing advantages and risks................................4
Choice of digital marketing strategies for small business......................................................5
Blog Links..................................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7
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Current Issues in Digital Marketing
Social media- an advantage or a risk
Information and telecommunication technology have revolutionised the world in such a way
that customers now have access to information at all times (Dodson, 2016). Computers,
tablets and other mobile devices have made sure that people stay connected with whatever
that interests them. Social media has become extremely potent and is used by people to create
and change opinions (Newson, 2017). Therefore, a company needs to realise that social
media can be used for creation or distortion of its image in the business world.
Social media is a web enabled platform which allows users to create and share information
files like videos, photos and text files (Newson, 2017). Social media content sharing has
become an extremely powerful medium of exchange of view, ideas and information. Social
media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are very potent platforms for sharing
information and influencing opinions (Hajli, 2014). With its low cost and massive audience,
it is easy for businesses to get carried away while implementing social media marketing.
However, it is important to weigh the risks and advantages of social media before using it as
a marketing channel.
When a marketer uses other forms of marketing like advertisements or sales promotions he
has complete control over the matter which reaches the customer .On the other hand, in case
of social media, once a message is generated , marketer looses control (Dodson, 2016) People
can post negative opinions, reviews and judgements about the product and cause lot of
negative publicity which a marketer does not want.
Conversely, if a company can manage the negativity aspect and has a very good product
which can speak for itself then the audience provided by social media can help in generating
positive publicity at no extra cost (Dodson, 2016). Social media reach is bigger than any
other mass media channel. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have more than 1
Billion daily active users (Dodson, 2016). If a company is properly able to target these users
and creat positive feelings in their mind about their business, then it can generate huge gains.
Additionally, social media is extremely low cost (Hajli, 2014). Content can be posted at no
cost and advertisements can be generated at minimal costs. Moreover, social media platform
helps marketers to generate positive reviews and brand loyalty.
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Therefore, a marketer must understand that while social media can give him huge access to
target audience, it can also lead to negativity and embarrassment (Dodson, 2016). Marketers
must approach this marketing tool after assessing its consequences. If the positive feedbacks
are more than negative feedbacks it should be fine. However, while using social media the
marketers must consider product quality and customer supports. (Dodson, 2016) These areas
can lead to better social media response for the company.
Small business enterprises and digital marketing advantages and risks.
Digital marketing is the marketing of products and services over the internet and through the
use of digital devices like mobile phones and tablets (Ryan, 2016). Small business is low on
budget. Therefore, cost advantage of digital marketing makes it a very lucrative marketing
source for small business enterprises.
Small business enterprises have limited resources as well as marketing experience (Dunant,
2017). Therefore, they need to find a low-cost marketing channel. Digital marketing
platforms like online advertising, social media and web-based marketing provide an effective
way to generate audience and market base for the small enterprises.
Unlike a large business empire, a small business unit does not have huge brand name. It
needs customer base and customer loyalty to survive (`Chaffey & Smith, 2017). It also needs
accurate information on customer needs and wants. The digital marketing platform allows
these firms to interact with potential customers and understand their aspirations and needs
(Dodson, 2016). These needs can then be assessed and satisfied by the company. Internet
marketing is good platform to generate reviews with a view towards improvement (Dunant,
2017). Through digital marketing a small business firm can reach a global market place and if
its produces are of high quality and match customer needs, it can become a huge success
(`Chaffey & Smith, 2017). A small business enterprise can easily track customer responses
through digital marketing
Small business enterprises do not have huge reputation and a brand name behind them.
Therefore, negative publicity and negative reviews can immensely harm the small enterprise
(Ryan, 2016). Digital marketing media are extremely dynamic. Any negative propaganda can
be carried far and wide through digital platforms like Facebook or twitter (Dunant, 2017)
.Negative reviews can spread like wild fire and kill the growth of a small firm.
However, risks need to be taken if a small firm wants to survive. Digital marketing has
immense reach and is cost effective. The negative propaganda can be countered through the
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use of positive content generation, quality focus and customer relationship management
(Dunant, 2017). If a small business firm can create an online presence through positive
content marketing on digital platforms and social media, it can create a favourable impression
on the customers (Dunant, 2017). Therefore, a small business enterprise must find ways to
generate positivity in the digital world. If it is able to balance the negative feedback and
reviews with positive content generation it can grow much faster as compared to use of
traditional medium.
Choice of digital marketing strategies for small business.
Advent of new digital technologies in business have increased the pace of business
functioning (Dodson, 2016). Interactive nature of digital marketing has made business
organisations more focused and customer oriented (Chaaffey & Smoth, 2013). Most of the
businesses have incorporated a digital marketing plan due to the mass reach of digital
marketing platforms (Ryan, 2016). Online market place has become a lucrative business
(Zhu, 2016). More and more people want to check products online and even purchase them.
Therefore, no business can now survive without having a digital presence (Chaaffey &
Smoth, 2013). Digital marketing today has become a huge arena with various methods. A
small business faces the challenge of use of adequate digital marketing strategy to generate
maximum customer interest.
Small businesses have a huge choice to choose their online marketing media and strategy
(Dunant, 2017). However, small businesses are on a restrictive badger. Therefore, as their
first strategy they can use search engine optimisation to attract customers to their website.
Under search engine optimisation important keywords are used by firms on their website so
that they get higher ranking on search engines if a user types those keywords (Kingsnorth,
2016). This can increase traffic to the website which can result in an interested customer base
or even a purchase.
Small business can also use social media platforms to talk about their products (Hajli, 2014).
They can also use social media for generating customer reviews and interactions. Another
method is content marketing on the website where in the firms can share good product centric
content with the customers (Kingsnorth, 2016). This contest can be shared via website, social
media, emails or any other digital network. Content leads to increase in visits, customer
loyalty and sales.
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Media selection is very important for a small business as it is on a low budget. However,
equality important is the correct use of digital marketing mix (Dodson, 2016). Digital
marketing mix is a set of marketing tools which can be used by the firm to target the
customer and generate interest in its product (Dodson, 2016). Just as traditional marketing
mix, digital marketing mix also consists of product, place, price and promotion. Additional
three Ps of services marketing viz process, physical evidence and people can also be applied
to digital marketing (Dodson, 2016). While selecting the media a small business firm must
make sure that it is properly including the digital marketing mix components in it media
campaign. (Dodson, 2016). The right marketing mix tool along with a thoughtfully selected
media strategy can create customer loyalty ad customer relationship for the small business
firm.
Blog Links
https://wordpress.com/post/digimarketing7.business.blog/9
https://wordpress.com/post/digimarketing7.business.blog/11
https://wordpress.com/post/digimarketing7.business.blog/13
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References
`Chaffey, D., & Smith, P. (2017). Digital Marketing Excellence: Planning, Optimizing and
Integrating Online Marketing. Didcot: Taylor & Francis.
Chaaffey, D., & Smoth, P. (2013). Emarketing Excellence: Planning and Optimizing Your
Digital Marketing. New York: Routledge.
Dodson, I. (2016). The Art of Digital Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Creating Strategic,
Targeted, and Measurable Online Campaigns. New Jersey: ohn Wiley & Sons.
Dunant, S. (2017). Essential Digital Marketing for Small Business. Morrisville, North
Carolina, : Lulu Press, Inc, .
Hajli, M. N. (2014). A study of the impact of social media on consumers. International
Journal of Market Research, 56(3), 387-404.
Kingsnorth, S. (2016). Digital Marketing Strategy: An Integrated Approach to Online
Marketi. London: Kogan Page Publishers.
Newson, A. (2017). Blogging and Other Social Media: Exploiting the Technology and
Protecting the Enterprise. New York: Routledge.
Ryan, D. (2016). Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Engaging the
Digital Generation. London: Kogan Page Publishers.
Zhu, X. (2016). Business Trends in the Digital Era: Evolution of Theories and Applications.
Berlin: Springer.
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