Digital Marketing Strategies for Waterstone Bookstore Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of digital marketing strategies, tools, and consumer trends, focusing on Waterstone Bookstore. It begins with an overview of the digital marketing landscape, comparing online and offline marketing concepts, and identifying key consumer trends driving digital marketing growth. The report then assesses various digital tools and hardware available to marketers, contrasting them with traditional 'bricks and mortar' channels and examining the development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to developing a digital marketing plan and strategy to build multi-channel capabilities, including an explanation of omni-channel marketing evolution. Finally, the report determines and evaluates measurement techniques and performance metrics in digital marketing, concluding with a set of actions to improve digital marketing performance. The report highlights the importance of adapting to evolving consumer behaviors and leveraging digital tools to enhance business outcomes, using Waterstone Bookstore as a case study.

DIGITAL MARKETING

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1..........................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Present an overview of the digital marketing landscape and compare online and offline marketing
concepts..................................................................................................................................................3
P2 Determine and analyse the key consumer trends and insights that are fuelling the growth of digital
marketing.................................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................................5
P3 Assess the key digital tools and hardware that are available to marketers in contrast to ‘bricks and
mortar’ and other physical channels.......................................................................................................5
P4 Examine the development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms and channels in
comparison to physical channels.............................................................................................................6
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................................7
P5 Develop a digital marketing plan and strategy to build multi-channel capabilities.............................7
P6 Explain how omni-channel marketing has evolved.............................................................................8
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................................9
P7 Determine and evaluate the measurement techniques and performance metrics in digital
marketing................................................................................................................................................9
P8 Present a set of actions to improve performance in digital marketing.............................................10
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Digital marketing encompasses the effort of an organization where the marketing
department extensively uses electronic media as well as other devices in order to
communicate the message to large audience. Efforts are made to leverage the
opportunity of digital channel which include search engine optimization, email
marketing, social media, use of website and affiliate marketing in order to connect with
existing as well as prospective customers (Tiago and Veríssimo, 2014). For the better
understanding of report Waterstone Bookstore Company of UK has been selected
which was founded in the year 1982 and comprises of diverse collection of books. The
company is looking to extensively use digital media tool in order to sell the books of
diverse bookseller through online platform. This report covered topics like detailed
understanding about the opportunities as well as external challenges that can impact
the digital environment. Evaluate the digital tools as well as channel and compare them
with the brick and mortar outlet. Demonstrate the way by which digital marketing
activities can be organized in order to build down the multichannel capabilities of an
entity. Further, explain the methods that help to monitor as well as measure the
performance of digital marketing tool to achieve the predetermined result.
TASK 1
P1 Present an overview of the digital marketing landscape and compare online and
offline marketing concepts.
The landscape of digital marketing is constantly evolving within a short span of
time it has covered large market successfully. The digital marketing landscape is rapidly
evolving which constitute better functioning of company either to build the online
presence or expand the reach of entity. In relation to Waterstone bookstore company
can either opt for paid or unpaid version of digital media to better cater the requirement
of large market. Moreover, within e-commerce business the use of digital marketing has
transformed the way by which different industries like retail connect with customer and
expand the area of operation. Thus, it is forward thinking strategies associated with

digital marketing that has crucially help the business to gain long-term success. As it
anticipate the interest as well as requirement of customer so this act as an opportunity
for the entity to modify their services and provide them with best possible output.
Initially, the customer in order to make final purchases used to move in various physical
stores to get the best products for themselves (Chaffey and Smith, 2017). But now with
the help of digital tool has created the virtual ecosystem where with the help of internet
user can access the offerings offered by diverse stores and make the final purchases
successfully.
Basis of difference Online marketing Offline marketing
Tool and technique Online marketing include
the tools like the use of
social media, pay per click,
blogging, email marketing
and so on. All these tools
helps to widespread the
message through web.
It involve the use of
traditional media like radio,
television and print media
that cover the preferable
amount of distance by
broadcasting the
awareness through special
channels.
Identify performance of
ultimate user
The performance of
company as well as
success of marketing
campaign can be
determined at real time with
the use of Analytics it is
better way to understand
the market trend and bring
favourable modifications
accordingly.
It is time taking process in
terms to understand the
responses of customer as
there is lack of availability
of data due to which it is
less likely to understand the
behaviour of prospects
(Royle and Laing, 2014).
Cost The cost in online
marketing channels is less
as compared to the offline
marketing channels.
The cost in offline marketing
channels is more when
compared to online marketing
channels.
Range The range of online
marketing is comparatively
lesser then that of offline
marketing channels.
The range in offline marketing is
comparatively more than that of
online marketing channels.
Connectivity level A higher level of
connectivity is provided by
the online marketing
through enhancing scope of
The online marketing does
not provided much
connectivity and expansion
opportunity and is limited to

which is not bounded by
location.
local or domestic
customers.
Personal connection Lack of personal
connection is associated
with use of online mode of
marketing but with the help
of more interactive and
attractive sites a personal
touch or more effective
connection can be develop
by customers.
Offline modes of marketing
offers maximum amount of
personal connection with
customers by the means of
direct and face and face to
connect with target
customers.
Thus, on the basis of above discussion a comparison and contract can be made
between online and offline mode of marketing that online modes offer a more feasible
and less costly way to connect with larger number of customers which enhance growth
opportunity as well as target larger number of customers for an organisation.
P2 Determine and analyse the key consumer trends and insights that are fuelling the
growth of digital marketing.
Waterstone is a company who deals with sales of books. They realised that to
increase their productivity they have to rely on digital market as people are available on
digital media from all over the globe. Company reason to shift to digital marketing is key
consumer trend which is fuelling digital marketing to next level. Some of those trends
are as follows:
 Consumer has started using social media to larger extent which promote the
companies to use digital media more to advertise and sell their product. Waterstone
also promote their products on social media so that they can get more opportunities
to do business (Leeflang and et. al., 2014). Large number of market can be tapped
via social media so company also rely on social media to get large market share to
do business.

 Digital media helps customer in increasing their brand awareness and lot of
customer rely on them to get information about the product. Company can advertise
their product through digital media and customer will be ready to go through it if the
content is interesting. The customer has become more aware and they like to have a
conversation before buying a product so that they will be fully aware about all
aspects of the product. It will give them confidence to buy the product and the
company is well aware about it that’s why they are going for digital marketing as via
digital platforms huge segment of market can be covered. Another reason why the
customer is switching over to digital marketing because it is time saving and cost
effective, people can purchase good through mobile only. They don’t need to go
anywhere to purchase the goods will be delivered to the doorstep and it is very
consumer friendly.
Digital marketing tools-
 Social media- The use of social media should be made in the organization's digital
marketing strategies because by using it the organizations will be able to make sure
that they are able to target customers in the market. In the context of Waterstone,
the use of social media is recommended.
 Email marketing- With the use of Email marketing different emails can be sent to
various customers in which details regarding various products and services are
provided. In the context of Waterstone, the use of this type of marketing is
recommendable.
 Website Analytics- The use of this digital marketing technique can be made by the
organizations by analyzing the number of visitors on the website. Therefore in this
manner, the managers of Waterstone will be able to analyze the outcomes in a
highly effective manner.
 Search Engine Optimization- The use of this tool can help the companies to
increase the visibility of their website on the internet traffic so that more and more
visitors visit the website. In the context of Waterstone, it is crucial that its

management is able to make sure that its customers can identify the website and
therefore this will help the company in enhancement of its profits.
TASK 2
P3 Assess the key digital tools and hardware that are available to marketers in contrast
to ‘bricks and mortar’ and other physical channels.
Digital marketing can be used by customer in bricks and mortar areas. Internet is
not only used for online shopping but it also have alternate usage. Digital marketing is
very effective for traditional businesses as they get more market share where they can
perform their operation. Waterstone believes in this concept and they know that there
are digital tools which they can apply in brick and mortars location and other physical
channel.
Location marketing can be done in a way that a customer can find product
through online channel and they can purchase the product through offline mode. Online
mode will help the customer to get all the data and once satisfied they can purchase it
through offline store. SEO need to done in a way if customer is searching for the
company’s product they should find the name of the company on top at least for the
customer who is from local. This will help the company to increase their business from
the physical store as more customers will get aware about the store and the product
they are offering (Stone and Woodcock, 2014). Once customer has the detail about the
store they will be happy to visit the store for the final purchase so for that company need
to make sure that SEO is done correctly to the benefit of the company. The company
needs to be visible in social media say Facebook or Instagram and they need to provide
consistent information about themselves. This will help the company to be in top when
the customer search for the information related to company product. Thus, digital media
can help to increase the productivity of Waterstone to new levels.
Waterstone will make use of digital marketing tools and strategies in an effective
manner so that it can get the customers to visit its stores and purchase the books from
the stores which will help it in enhancement of the level of profits in the future time

period. Therefore from the point of view of the company it is recommended that it is able
to make the customers visit its stores through the use of correct strategies to reach
them.
One of such strategies is Omni-channel marketing . It is an approach which provides
the customers with a seamless and integrated shopping experience. Therefore the use
of this type of marketing must be made by the managers of Waterstone so that they are
able to bring the customers in the stores and enhance their level of revenues and
overall profits in the future time period.
Apart from the concept of ‘bricks and mortar’ and other physical channels which
comprises of 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 are
becoming more and more complex and also limits the growth and success level of a
firm therefore, use and implication of digital marketing offers a better channel and
opportunity for companies like Waterstone to connect with larger number of customers
in order to enhance their sales and productivity. Apart from this, the concept and use if
digital marketing also ensures better business opportunities for e-commerce firms
which are used to for buying and selling of goods and services, or the transmitting of
funds or data, over an electronic network primarily through the use of internet. Thus,
digital marketing also offer a better interface and channels for e-commerce business to
connect and interact with its customers in a more efficient and viable manner.
P4 Examine the development of e-commerce and digital marketing platforms and
channels in comparison to physical channels.
Nowadays, Digital marketing is used by every country to increase the productivity
to new levels. Waterstone is no different. The behavior of consumer id flexible in nature
and it keeps on changing with a rapid speed. Ecommerce introduction has prompt
customer to purchase from online stores and with effect of that digital marketing is
getting developed day by day. Digital marketing is the only medium which helps e-
commerce business to grow. The customer of today likes to read a review about the
book before buying it. They also evaluate the store in digital media and then finally

make decision whether to buy from there or not. Digital marketing has made business
tough as it has become very important for company to catch the attention of the
customers as they have lot of option now and they will select the best for themselves.
Email marketing has increased and company tries to connect with the customer through
mail so that they can be aware about the company product. Social media is used by the
company in a huge level as lot of people use social media apps like Facebook,
Instagram, twitter so company try to promote their product there in order to get the
attention. Content marketing is another digital marketing aspect which is used in huge
level to inform customer about the product. All the details about the product is written
along with their benefits. The company uses SEO in huge level so that they can be on
top when the customer is searching about their product in internet so that they can get
demands through online medium. Digital media helps the company to get untapped
market that is the reason why digital marketing is excelling in comparison to the
traditional physical stores and Water stone is well aware about the fact that how to roll
along with the trend.
TASK 3
P5 Develop a digital marketing plan and strategy to build multi-channel capabilities
A digital marketing plan can be defined as a document that outlines details
relating to the different digital marketing campaigns. It also explains both long as well as
short term goals of the company (Bala and Verma, 2018). Apart from this, strategies to
achieve the goals in a digital manner are also included in the plan. It is important
because it can help an organization to identify different ways in which message can be
communicated to the customers in the most effective manner. A digital marketing plan
along with strategy to build multi-channel capabilities for Waterstones Book Shopis
explained below –
Step 1: Situational Analysis
Strengths – The workers of the book shop are well-educated students who have
a hobby of reading. Apart from this, the infrastructure of the book shop is attractive and
inviting. There is also a popular café nearby due to which the customers visiting the
shop is more.

Weaknesses –The space of the book shop is small and also, the number of
customers visiting the store is less during the summer season. Since the students keep
graduating every year, the staff turnover is high.
Opportunities –The book shop can invite authors to give lectures and sign
books for people who are very much into reading(Chaffeyand Smith, 2017). The
management can work upon delivering the book orders to the customers on the same
day.
Threats –People who like to read e-books or online can lead to an elimination of
the concept of physical books. Also, younger generations do not read much.
Step 2: Establish Digital Marketing Goals
 To increase overall customer base by 20 % within eight months by using different
omni-channel capabilities.
 To increase profitability in the market by 25% within 12 months.
Step 3: Define Marketing Strategy
For Waterstones, in order to develop omni-channel capabilities, it is important for
developing strategies that can help it in achieving those objectives. The book shop can
adopt the strategy of segmentation, targeting and positioning. This will help it in
attracting a lot of customers and gaining their loyalty(Chaffey, 2019). Apart from this, it
will also contribute to the book shop’s overall profitability.
Step 4: Digital Strategies and Tactics
In this stage, it is important for the company to adopt different techniques and
tools so as to gain large customers. Waterstones Book Shop can offer discounts, offers
and social media to the customers. This will help in promoting their business and
attracting new segments of customers.
Step 5: Measuring Results

In this step, the results of the strategies that are implemented will be analyzed
and will also helps in making effective decision sin the future. The book shop can also
analyze the preferences of its customers like what kind of books they prefer to read etc.
P6 Explain how omni-channel marketing has evolved
Omni-channel marketing can be defined as a sales approach that involves
different channels that provides the customers with an integrated shopping experience.
In recent years the tread of making use of and adopting multi channel approach for
marketing has enhanced which leads to evaluation of vital strategic channel i.e. Omni-
Channel. Use of Omni-channel marketing strategy facilitates a multi channel approach
that support enhanced customer interaction through leading innovation and supporting
more effective marketing strategy. Adoption of Omni-channel facilitates a uniform
customer experience and lead to design of a website which is consistent in nature with
the mobile app and should also match branded physical environments from where
consumer can shop in a similar way through in-store, website, and mobile. This helps in
proving a seamless experience to the customers and gaining their loyalty.Waterstones
aims to become an omni-channel business, the concept of which has evolved over time
and a lot of companies have implemented this concept in their system(Chester and
Montgomery, 2017). This has helped in making the businesses innovative and satisfy
the needs of the customers effectively.Also, the demands of the customers keep on
changing from time to time and they demand more personalized experiences. In omni-
channel marketing, different channels are inter connected with each other. This allows
the company to provide its customers a seamless experience. Waterstones Book Shop
can partner up with fellow book shops which can help in coming up with innovative and
creative ideas.Therefore, omni-channel marketing is considered to be one of the great
ways of treating the customers.
TASK 4
P7 Determine and evaluate the measurement techniques and performance metrics in
digital marketing
Metrics in digital marketing can be defined as values that are used by marketers
in an organization in order to measure as well as track the performance of their different

marketing campaigns. These metrics can also help the companies not only in attaining
their goals but also measuring performance. The different measurement techniques are
explained below –
 Online Sales –A company caneasily measure its performance by analyzing its
overall performance. Waterstones has its official website, wherein it keeps a
track of all the sales that take place online(Deiss and Henneberry, 2017). Online
sales also give insights about what kinds of books do people prefer reading.
 Bounce Rates –These are not considered to be good as they represent the
number of people who click the back button when they land on the company’s
website. These kinds of websites are usually regarded as low-quality and spam.
Therefore, it is important to measure the bounce rates in order to get an
understanding of the number of people who return back.
 Page View Per Visit –The respective book shop can use google analytics in
order to identify the total number of page views by customers per visit. It should
pay attention to its webpage that are most visited by the customers. This will also
help the company in getting to understand the kind of content that they are
interested in.
 Word of Mouth Promotions –There are many people who will recommend
about visiting the book shop to their family and friends(Heinze and et. al., 2020).
This will help in promoting the book shop and therefore, the number of people
visiting will increase. This will add to its overall profitability of the book shop.
P8 Present a set of actions to improve performance in digital marketing
The different actions that can be used by the book shop in order to improve the
overall performance in digital marketing. The different actions are described below –
 Assessment of Technology -The respective book shop should assess the
technology tat is already implemented within the system in order to check the
effectiveness of the same. This will help it in identifying the potential gaps and
then addressing the same(Kannan, 2017). If technology that is already
implemented will not work properly, the overall performance will be affected.