Digital Marketing Overview, Trends, and Strategy Report for M&S

This report provides a detailed analysis of digital marketing, focusing on Marks & Spencer. It begins with an introduction to digital marketing and compares online and offline marketing concepts, highlighting their differences in terms of product promotion, pricing, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence. The report then delves into key consumer trends and insights, such as the role of chatbots and email marketing in driving digital marketing growth. It also examines the digital marketing landscape, including opportunities and weaknesses faced by M&S. The report further explores digital tools available to marketers, contrasting them with traditional "bricks and mortar" channels. It discusses the development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms, and details the creation of a digital marketing plan and strategy to build multi-channel capabilities, including an overview of the evolution of omnichannel marketing. Finally, the report evaluates methods for monitoring and measuring digital marketing effectiveness and suggests actions to improve performance, concluding with a summary of the key findings and recommendations.

Digital Marketing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
P1 Present an overview of the digital marketing landscape and compare online and offline
marketing concept.......................................................................................................................4
P2- Determination and analyse key consumer trends and insight that are helpful in growing
digital marketing-........................................................................................................................7
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................8
P3 Key digital tools and hardware that are available to marketers in contrast to “ bricks and
mortar” and other physical channels..........................................................................................8
P4- Development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms and channels as compare to
physical channel........................................................................................................................10
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................12
P5- Develop a digital marketing plan and strategy to build multi channel capabilities............12
P6. Omni-channel marketing evolved.......................................................................................15
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................15
P7- Evaluate method of monitoring and measuring digital marketing effectively...................15
P8-A set of actions to improve performance in digital marketing............................................17
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................18

INTRODUCTION
Digital Marketing is the source of marketing of products through digital channels. A
organisation can introduce its product and services by using digital technology and those
channels are like internet, mobile phones, through display adversing and many other things. It is
the basic concept of marketing (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). People are mostly prefer
online shopping comparative visiting physical shop. This present report is based on marks &
Spencer organisation. It is founded in 1998 and its headquarter is in Westminster, London. It is a
multinational company of British. In this project they are focusing on online and offline
marketing concept as well as challenges, opportunity and impact of digital marketing on marks
& Spencer organisation. They develop a marketing plan and strategy to build a multi channel
capability for this organisation. There is also a discussion on Omni channel marketing has
evolved. Beside it a discussion present of action for improving the performance in digital
marketing.
TASK 1
P1 Present an overview of the digital marketing landscape and compare online and offline
marketing concept.
Digital marketing is the basic concept of modern marketing. Mostly organisation use it to
promote its brand, product and services with there employees. through this marks & Spence
organisation organisation increase more profit and build a strong brand image in marketplace.
Digital marketing have various channels and those are like content marketing, social media,
smartphones and many others. Main purpose of digital marketing is to attract new customers and
introduce them with new product and services which are important for them. Through this they
can fulfil the requirement of customer which is main motive of every organisation.

Digital market also help marks & spacer organisation to build a strong relationship with
customers in a effective manner which is important for them. Through adopting this concept of
marketing is beneficial in various manner like they increase productivity as well as there
performance of the company.
Difference between online and offline marketing concepts.
There are various difference between these both concepts of marketing. But the purpose
of online and offline marketing is same. These both concept are using in the organisation for
increasing the probability of the organisation as well as for attracting more customers. All these
differences are as given.
Marketing Mix Digital marketing Offline marketing
Product In order to promote product
and services in less expensive
than offline marketing online
marketing can be conducted by
organisations as to showcase
their customers about product
demo and review (Dolph, B.
H., International Business
Machines Corp, 2016).
By undertaking offline
marketing, organisation can
effectively able to demonstrate
their products and services
where they can physically
touch and smell products.
Price Digital marking is running on
a large scale. Thus, Marks &
Spencer organisation can
produce its product and
services on discounted basis at
worldwide level which is too
much beneficial for this
organisation.
Within offline marketing
Marks and Spencer undertake
wide range of distinguish
marketing strategies such as
product price of Ireland stores
is slightish different from the
stores of UK.
Place It is the biggest benefit of
digital marking that customer
can easily vision website
Marks and Spencer conduct
their business with having
more 800 stores around the

according to its comfortable
time and also can purchase
there chooses product. It is
beneficial for busy customer
who can not visit store. Thus,
by providing their products
and services on social media
channels and undertaking 600+
sky channels Marks and
Spencer can promote their
products and services in best
effective manner.
world where their offer their
physical services to customers.
Promotion There are different types of
online platform that can be
consider to make promotions.
Social media is important
channel of digital marking.
Marks & Spencer organisation
easily promote its product and
services with the help of this
channel. It increase the fan
following of the organisation
as well as demand of product
and services in the market.
More people are able to
purchase product and services.
In this concept Marks &
Spencer organisation can
invest amount in optimising
website. Providing ads on
social media like Ingram,
As to effectively make
promotion of their products
and services via offline mode
Marks and Spencer are focused
towards Word-of-mouth
publicity along with
maintaining high quality.
Within this Marks and Spencer
make promotion of their
products and services via
newspapers ads, Print media
and banners.

Facebook is less expensive.
People It is beneficial for Online
marketing organisation to
select a specific market target
who visit there website more
and purchase more product.
They provide some offers for
there customers which attract
more customers.
In this form of marketing
individuals with having best
effective form of
communication and
presentation skills are required
in order to represent products
towards customers as to
effectively influence them.
Process In order to make a purchase
customers are required to
firstly create profile on the
website of Marks and Spencer.
This will allow them to have
an access to the products and
services that has been offered
by company and ask for the
same as home delivery.
Physical evidence On Marks and Spencer online
website products are listed as
per according to the categories
which makes customers to
easily access to products as per
accordance with their choice.
Offline store offer customers
easily available arranged
products. In main area of
company there is a
arrangement of light and music
that make exotic shopping
experience for customers.
P2- Determination and analyse key consumer trends and insight that are helpful in growing
digital marketing-
The digital marketing is define as promotion of goods or brands through any electronic
medium. There are various tools of digital marketing like social media, email marketing, app

development, content writing and so on. As per current scenario, most of the organisations have
adopted this technology, for bringing awareness in target consumers. Digital marketing is
providing a platform for effective communication between firm and consumers, with use of
digital channel like internet, email etc. The marketing team have utilised this technology, in a
systematic manner to achieve desired objective of an organisation. Nowadays, many firm have
implemented digital platform in strategies, so that market share could increased in specific
market.
There are some consumer trends which incise the growth of an digital marketing and all these
trends are as given.
Chatbots:- It plays a significant role in improving the customer experience by allowing marketer
to get engaged with audience without putting much efforts. Chatbots offers real-time assistance
to users by simulating human conversation with the help of artificial intelligence. The chatbot act
as a driver for online marketing growth of Marks & Spencer as it become more trendy to use
among customers for fulfilling their purchasing need which support in developing a digital
existence. In addition to this it also help in resolving the issues that customer are facing by
providing them suggestions or resolving their issues. This feature has fuel the growth of Marks &
Spencer digital channel.
Email marketing:- This is the another trends which fuel the growth of digital marketing
as in order to maintain the customer base the marketers of AGROS send mails to its subscriber
whenever the new products get added to the website or some discount offer are there. This can
act as a growth drivers for online marketing of Marks & Spencer as it support in attracting the
customers traffic over the website of Marks & Spencer which in turn support in further
promotional activities and increasing the profitability that leads to organisational success.
Mentioned below there are some Opportunities and challenges facing digital marketing
landscape
Digital marketing landscape is defined as business analysis that identifies as direct or
indirect competitor of firms at same time. The assessment help manager to establish an
innovative approaches for planning marketing strategies. In context with M&S, the
management have faced many opportunities and weakness, while adopting digital marketing
landscape. Some of these opportunities and weakness are mentioned below:

Opportunities- While adopting the digital marketing landscape, M&S are directly
engaging with an attractive tag lines like “Must-Have product” in the wardrobe of potential
customers. It will help leaders to effectively communicate and increase customer base. The
marketing team is effectively utilising digital channel, for achieving desired aim of the firm.
Weakness- The weak points which are being faced by M&S using digital marketing
landscape, marketing team are spending huge funds in advertising about products and offers on
home delivery services that are been given to buyers. Also, firm have lately adopted the digital
transformations.
TASK 2
P3 Key digital tools and hardware that are available to marketers in contrast to “ bricks and
mortar” and other physical channels
There are wide range of digital tools available in digital platforms that can be undertaken
as to generate high revenue. Some of the tools include Social media platforms, Email marketing
tools, Design tools, Facebook and more. All these platforms effectively increase capabilities to
gain attraction of large base of customers. Digital marketing is considered as an one of the
leading and fastest growing market with the help of which Marks and Spencer can able to expand
their user experience that simultaneously aid them to attract new consumers. It has been seen that
with the evolution of advanced technologies such as IoT, artificial intelligence, cloud, and
analytics are playing a crucial role in driving the growth of digital platform market. Most of the
enterprises are adopting digital platform for smart consumptions of digital assets in order to
maximize operational excellence, implement intelligent processes, monetize internal resources,
and enhance the customer experience, due to this, the digital platforms market is growing at a
rapid pace. Also, digital platforms provide services which enables the IT and e-commerce
organizations to quickly resolve issues and problem in order to provide higher level of business
user satisfaction at reduced cost. If it is seen in terms of “bricks and mortar” it is a traditional
street-side business that offers products and services to its customers face-to-face in an office or
store that the business owns or rents. Brick and mortar stores have found it difficult to compete
with mostly web-based businesses like Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) because the latter usually
have lower operating costs and greater flexibility. The current consumer trends are mentioned
below:

Content marketing- According to this, every marketing functions are being performed
in an indirect manner. Under this, data and information about companies, its products and
services are designed in an effective and unique manner. This as a result helps in attracting large
number of customers and enhance their overall profitability at the competitive marketplace.
Along with this, it has also been identified that company share their information from one place
to another in an effective manner. With the transferring of information and data, company will be
able to enhance their overall sales. In the present context of Marks & Spencer, it has been
identified that management team of the company hire best professional writers so that they will
promote the product and services attractively and select target audience successfully. Feedbacks
from customers helps the managers of company in order to modify their goods and services
according to their requirements (Todor, 2016). But on the other hand, as compare to Brick and
mortar it is a physical store which influence people in order to purchase goods and services. It is
quite difficult for the staff members to meet each and every person and helps them in an effective
manner.
Search engine optimization (SEO)- It refers to the process in which a specific website
indicate on the high list of shown results. It is the tool which assist the management team of the
company in order to enhance the their visitors numbers on their own website. It is considered as
one of the most effective and renown marketing tool, helps in maximising the number of
customers who visit their website. In the present context of Marks & Spencer, managers of the
company decide to owes its online website which shows the detail information of the company.
The company also use its search engine optimization so that they gain competitive advantages at
the website. Along with this, on the page of Marks & Spencer, they shows all the product and
services list which customers can select by just one click. On the other hand, in case of physical
stores customers need to search the products in order to fulfil their requirements.
Search engine marketing- It is one of the most effective tool used by companies in
order to promote the goods and services with the help of search engines. Under this tool,
companies pay high amount of money in order to promote its goods and services to the
customers. In the present context of Marks & Spencer, management team of the company adopt
this tool in order to attract large number of customers towards the company. It has been
analysing that The Search Engine tool of marketing leads to assess the page of the company
while any customer compose specific information over internet at the time of searching. All

these things might not be possible in case of physical stores as customers do not know about the
information of goods and services in order to purchase their products and retain them for a long
period of time.
P4- Development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms and channels as compare to
physical channel
In present scenario, development of e commerce platform is an effective approaches for
the businessman, who wants to explore their business by using appropriate online channels. With
the advancement of web designing, it became an positive approach for storing informations
about firms websites and transacting funds via means of any online medium. There are several
e-commerce process such as business-to-business, business-to-consumers and consumer-to-
consumer through which product are available to customers. As technology are growing rapidly,
the businessman or marketer need to maintain a high-tech security for online user, who have
visited websites when compared with physical channels.
The physical channels are physical outlet or store, where consumers can test the quality
of product and bargain the price of specific product. The physical channel can provide a pathway
through which the retailer can attract target consumers toward their store. If it is talked about
Mark & Spencer, the physical presence of customer have an effective interactive session with
employer or retailer. Apart from interaction, there are chances where customer can foster cordial
relationship with first employee at store or outlets. There are several advertising tools such as
newspaper, magazines print, television ads and radio broadcasting, for bringing awareness about
specification of goods in target market. The utilisation of promotional physical channels might
have positive impact between customer base.
Henceforth, managers have to adopt effective marketing strategies for attracting
competitor's buyer. The strategies include research analysis on internal and external business
environment. It is necessary that there should be cordial relationship with suppliers and firm
shareholder. So that business operations could take place effectively in work culture. As per
recent scenario Marks & Spencer have applied digital platform for bringing product awareness
on various platform such as social media and so on. As most of buyer are active online users and
want to seek more knowledge of any product and services. The development of e-commerce

platform have helped Marks & Spencer, to have an effective growth in the business. Some of the
aspect that are taken in consideration by leader are described under-beneath:
 Easy to record data- As technology are rapidly changing many software have been
developed for storing as well as securing informations of consumers with high-tech code.
If it is talked about Marks & Spencer, business analyst have effectively utilized tools, that
are required for recording data of their customer. Recently, marketing team are updating
their record, with tracking of customer who are visiting their websites and applications.
They chosen social media for seeking knowledge about how many consumer have
viewed their products. Also, this strategy have helped management to improve their
performance at online platform.
 Targeting local and international customers- From past few years, it have been seen
that digital marketing have gradually positioned their place all across the globe. Most of
the companies have adopted digital marketing for improving sale promotions in any
industry. When talking about Marks & Spencer, the manager have chosen media channel
for grabbing information about choice of target consumer. The leaders have bifurcated
target base on basis of national and international boundaries. The aim of Marks and
Spencer is to increase their customer base, through effective communications with
potential buyers.
Spreading information easily- The managers have adopted various tactic and strategies
in implementing their decision in working environment. The marketing manager majorly plan
to have effective sales of an organisation in specific industries. When talking about Marks &
Spencer, it is necessary that supervisors should provide accurate information a bout product and
services, which they are offering to their target consumer base. With the use of effective
communication, the marketing team have insight about buying behaviour of potential buyers. It
is important that digital marketing team should have updated informations, about the views given
by buyers who have consumed their products through feedbacks. The adoption of effective
digital platform have helped Marks & Spencer to improve the quality of their goods as well as
services.

TASK 3
P5- Develop a digital marketing plan and strategy to build multi channel capabilities
Digital Marketing plan is systematic framework which includes several guidelines and
procedures that need to be followed by every individual working in an organisation. This
structured layout helps manager to formulate strategies, for successfully growing business and
attaining competitive advantage in marketplace. An effective plan helps managers to discuss
short and long term plan for an organisation. The defined goals and strategies helps management
to attained competitive advantage in target market. For preparing digital marketing plans, some
of the step are adopted and followed by Mark & Spencer leaders for enhancing the growth of
business.
Situational Analysis: This is the initial stage where a situation is been analysed on basis
of environment which have direct or indirect influence of business operations. Most of the firm
conduct SWOT analysis for evaluating competitive business culture, where the market is been
targeted. Henceforth SWOT assessment of Marks & Spencer is been critically conducted by
team in an effective manners. The detail descriptions of firm is mentioned under-beneath:
Strength
 The firm manages to build strong brand
equity in retail industries.
 An effective leadership style adopted
by management, has made Mark &
Spencer top leaders in departmental
stores.
 The firm focuses on rapidly conducting
CSR strategies and activities.
Weakness
 There is huge decline in sales in food
offering in target market. Also the firm
do not have standardised scale to
compete with top competitors (Saura
Palos-Sánchez and Cerdá Suárez,
2017).
 Mark & Spencer system and legacy
stores are sometimes becomes
disadvantage for the firm.
Opportunities
 As the technology are growing rapidly,
Mark & Spencer managers could adopt
digital platform for providing product
Threat
 As the competitions are increasing
rapidly, the scope of expansion of
business have reduced to some extents.