Digital First Magazine – September 2021 – India Edition – Digital Marketing Trends by Connecta Innovation

INDIA EDITION

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First Stop for Digital, Technology and Business Insights

TH S ’ AT

’ L A M R O N ‘NEW WH

IN THE

DIGITAL

M A SPA RKETIN CE? G PERSONALIZED CONTENT IS THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL MARKETING AMBIKA SHARMA, FOUNDER & MD, PULP STRATEGY

CAN A BUSINESS SURVIVE WITHOUT DIGITAL MARKETING IN 2021? GEETA SINGH, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, TYC COMMUNICATION

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING HAS BECOME A BUSINESS NECESSITY HIMANSHU ARYA, FOUNDER & CEO, GRAPES DIGITAL

HOW COMPANIES ARE REACHING OUT TO CUSTOMERS DIGITALLY NANDITA SOOD, FOUNDER, KERTUS

SEPTEMBER 2021

Digital First Magazine September 2021

www.digitalfirstmagazine.com

September 2021

Vol - 2 Issue - 6

Digital Marketing Special Editor in Chief

Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD

Managing Editor Sarath Shyam

Consultant Editors

Dr. Johny Andrews Navya Venkatesh Shyam K

Anna Elza Roshni Rajagopal Nikita Thakur

Editorial Enquiry: admin@digitalfirstmagazine.com

Art and Design

Ajay K Das Manjunath R Rohith Poojary

Sales & Marketing

Suchithra S Reshma Ashokan

Arati Waghmare Rupali Mohankar

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Digital First Magazine September 2021

Digital First Magazine is a digital magazine published by Connecta Innovation Private Limited. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in the content are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Connecta Innovation Private Limited or any of its members or associates. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the advertisements and all representation of warranties made in such advertisements are those of the advertisers and not of the publisher. Digital First trademark is owned by DFG Digital First Infotech Pvt Ltd. and Connecta Innovation Pvt Ltd. has permission to use Digital First brand name. Digital First Magazine is a Free Subscription digital magazine strictly not for sale and has to be strictly for internal private use only. Publisher does not assume any responsibility arising out of anyone printing copy of this digital magazine in any format and in any country and all matters related to that.

MANAGING EDITOR’S NOTE

Why is Digital Marketing Hard to Ignore?

id you know that in 2021, we have around 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide? This is where I started my research on Digital Marketing. As I browsed through more and more pages reading about Digital Marketing, I was getting Ads for various digital marketing courses and related materials on my social media feeds. Now, I understand the power of this new-age marketing method called Targeted Digital Marketing by putting me as the target for these marketers. No wonder, Ad revenue in India is forecast to rebound strongly by 2025, following a 27% plunge in 2020, with ad spends on digital media overtaking those on television (TV) by 2024, according to Media Partners Asia (MPA) report. The report claims that the internet, which was a major beneficiary of the lockdown, will continue to grow steadily and expand its share of advertising from 36.6% in 2021 to 40.1% in 2025.

In today’s world, you can no longer rely on traditional advertising alone to promote your business. In the postpandemic business environment, digital marketing should be one of the priorities of businesses in their marketing strategy. In fact, there has been no better time than now to stay in such consistent contact with your customers, and nothing else offers the level of personalization that digital data can provide. Even now, as I write this editorial, digital marketing methods are evolving. It requires us to constantly follow changes that occur as this field is developing. To understand more about Digital Marketing Trends, we have come up with this special issue featuring experts in this sector who share their insights and opinion on this important sector. We hope that efforts will help business leaders and learners to make better decisions when it comes to Digital Marketing. Enjoy Reading.

Sarath Shyam

Digital First Magazine September 2021

ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. Kuldeep Nagi, Ph.D, MBA, BSc.

Program Director of Ph.D, Recipient of Fulbright Fellowship Award & Dan Evans Award for Excellence and Writer columnist.

Mr. Amulya Sah, PGD PM & IR, PG Diploma in PM&IR (XISS Ranchi)

Senior Director HR. Former Head HR group Samsung R&D Institute India,Transformative HR Leader, Change agent, Digitization facilitator, Engagement architect, Trainer and Diversity champion.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Dr. Varughese K.John, PhD, MBA, MPhil, MCom, LLB. Former Program Director, MS in Management Program, GSATM - AU

Dr. Ajay Shukla, Ph.D, MBA, BE. Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Higher Education UAE

Mamta Thakur Former CEO (ASEAN), Arc Skills

Mr. Sreedhar Bevara, MBA, B.Com Former Senior General Manager: Panasonic Middle East & Africa, Thought Leader, Speaker & Author of ‘Moment of Signal’ (Amazon’s International Bestseller)

Digital First Magazine Higher Education Digest September2020 2021 November

IN MY VIEW

C O N T

TAKEAWAYS FROM “START-UP MARKETING”

HOW HAS STRATEGIES IN DIGITAL MARKETING CHANGED IN RECENT TIMES

LEADERS INSIGHTS

RISHI SHARMA, VICE PRESIDENT (MARKETING), ZOLO

Digital First Magazine September 2021

NANDITA SOOD, FOUNDER, KERTUS

PERSONALIZED CONTENT IS THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL MARKETING

HOW DO WE USE DESIGN AS A TOOL TO AFFECT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND REACH A LARGER AUDIENCE?

ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN

AMBIKA SHARMA, FOUNDER & MD, PULP STRATEGY

HETAL AJMERA AND BIANCA D’SA VINCENT, FOUNDERS, SHARPENER

HAMZA CHHATRISA, COO & CO-FOUNDER, DAB OF INDIA

E N T S

THE COMPONENTS FACTORS TO REMEMBER WHEN THAT MAKE A DIGITAL MARKETING MARKETING DIGITALLY CAMPAIGN SUCCESSFUL SUSHMA SINGHVI, FOUNDER, GUNJAN FOUNDATION

SUBRAMANIAM KRISHNAN, CO-FOUNDER & CEO, TWO CENTS CONSULTING

MARKETEERS NEED TO KEEP THESE THINGS IN MIND WHILE PLANNING NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGNS SHIRAZ KHAN, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, SPICERTEE DESIGN AGENCY

DIGITAL MARKETING TECHNIQUES EVERY SERVICE-BASED INDUSTRY SHOULD USE

HOW COMPANIES ARE REACHING OUT TO CUSTOMERS DIGITALLY

MASTERING DIGITAL MARKETING WITH TRANSLATION AND LOCALIZATION

YASIN HAMIDANI, CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, MEDIA CARE BRAND SOLUTIONS

RAHUL GOYAL, CO-FOUNDER, RELATTE

HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE DIGITAL MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATION SECTOR NAVEL NAZARETH, CO-FOUNDER & CONTENT HEAD, NAM SOLUTIONS

RAGHAV KANSAL, CEO, ET MEDIALABS

Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

C O N T

DIGITAL MARKETING IN HEALTHCARE: A DEEP DIVE INTO THE NEW NORMAL

CAN A BUSINESS SURVIVE WITHOUT DIGITAL MARKETING IN 2021?

AMAN GUPTA, CO-FOUNDER, D YELLOW ELEPHANT

GEETA SINGH, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, TYC COMMUNICATION

DIGITAL ADVERTISING: A NEW ERA IN THE ADVERTISEMENT INDUSTRY

WHAT BRANDS NEED TO KNOW WHILE RIDING THE WAVE OF MEME MARKETING

NIKHIL SHARDA, EVP- CREATIVE & DIGITAL COMMUNICATION, SCROLL MANTRA

First Magazine 10 Digital September 2021

RAHUL GANDHI, CO-FOUNDER, OPTION DESIGNS

E N T S

HOW AUDIO PLATFORMS SUCH AS PODCAST ARE UPPING THE DIGITAL MARKETING ENGAGEMENT GAME

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING HAS BECOME A BUSINESS NECESSITY

HARISH PATEL, CO-FOUNDER, LOGICLOOP

HIMANSHU ARYA, FOUNDER & CEO, GRAPES DIGITAL

DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR

SILENTLY, MAKING A LOUD STATEMENT: STEALTH MARKETING

SANA JHAMB, DIRECTOR - PR & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, EPISTLE COMMUNICATIONS

SAHIL CHOPRA, FOUNDER & CEO, ICUBESWIRE

Digital First Magazine September 2021

IN MY

VIEW

Takeaways from

“Start-up Marketing” Rishi Sharma, Vice President (Marketing), Zolo

fter years spent in multinational corporations and prior to that in advertising agencies, I can state unequivocally that start-ups require an entirely new kind of battery. Here are a few takeaways from my time leading in marketing to illustrate what helped us in achieving rapid success and what were the causes of some setbacks on an already hectic road. Start-ups are often obsessed with the product and desires rapid growth. But with lack of advertising due to lockdowns, it is very agonizing that we have been unable to garner more brand attention as we had expected. We at Zolo believe in striking a balance between brand marketing and performance from the start, as the former establishes a company’s reputation and values, as well as other characteristics such as consumer credibility and loyalty, which take time to develop. The latter is directly linked to ROI. Recognize your Audience: Prior to formalizing strategies, running AdWords campaigns, or utilizing social media, it is critical to ascertain who will use the

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Start-ups are missionary in nature, with their own minds and thus their own culture

RISHI SHARMA

Rishi Sharma comes with over 20 years of marketing experience and is responsible for strengthening Zolo’s external and internal brand communication along with developing an overarching brand strategy for new vertical launches. An integrated Marketing specialist, Digital Evangelist with all-around experience across Advertising Agencies, FMCG, Fashion and Lifestyle companies. His expertise lies in B2B2C Marketing, Digital Marketing, Digitization and Technology enthusiast, MIS, CRM, Branding & Communication, Team management and Product Marketing, Launches & GTM. Prior to Zolo, he was working with names such as the Aditya Birla Group, Liva and Kara. His previous stints include Samsung India Electronics and advertising agencies like McCann, Publicis, Euro RSCG (Havas) as a planner.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

product. While this may appear straightforward, you will notice that it is quite common for start-ups to alter their target audience while validating their business model. At Zolo we call us as customer obsessed fanatics. We refrain from believing that everyone is a target, and that attempting to appeal to everyone will result in failing to connect with your true potential customers.

Start-ups are often obsessed with the product and desires rapid growth

Engage, just not Sell: Engage your consumer base and communicate your company’s central “why.” By describing the future, you are establishing, you can assist them in comprehending why they require your product or service. This can be

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accomplished using a promotional video, blog posts, or social media communications that are responsive. Consider Yourself an Owner: Spend Your Money Wisely: Brand marketing requires investment; it is critical to maximize the brand’s reach and budget for promotion. However, much can be accomplished intelligently through search engine optimization, content creation, and conversational platforms, to name a few. Think Smart! Think like a generalist: Taking a broad view of marketing will benefit you, as it is critical to execute each aspect of marketing correctly. Specialists may be prohibitively expensive, and they will not assist us in establishing the proper foundation for the business. While I would assert that while the fundamentals remain the same, the pace and terrain are distinct. Here it is important to be frugal. Every penny counts. In the times where cost per acquisition is becoming expensive, the only mantra is getting to the right consumer in the most costeffective way is the game. I call it Smart Marketing. Spend where’s most necessary. Creative thinking is the only way to survive as the market dynamics are constantly evolving. Many times, it will be No-Cost Marketing in the most unconventional manner. Testing, learning, and modifying on the fly is a big part of start-up marketing. It’s necessary to be adaptable enough to keep track of what’s working and what isn’t. Google, Free SAS, and New Tools Plan how you’ll collaborate with engineers and designers. Most importantly, become acquainted with visualisation software such as Figma and Whimsical. These tools aid in the introduction of design principles that underpin the most modern interface design guidelines as well as the identification of key areas of concern that stymie rapid rollouts. Start-ups are missionary in nature, with their own minds and thus their own culture. If you’re new to the start-up scene, it’s a good idea to roll up your sleeves and collaborate with young talent and interns to put your ideas together in the form of a product that has the potential for incremental innovation. As a marketer at heart, I’ve always believed that marketing and branding should be viewed as a long-term investment rather than a cost. But, in my short experience with start-up, the real joy comes from small breakthroughs that change the way things are done traditionally.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

Digital Marketing in Healthcare: A Deep Dive into the New Normal Aman Gupta, Co-founder, D Yellow Elephant

here is no one hack that works in the world of digital marketing. There never has been. One of the most dynamic and foundational forms of marketing there exists today is digital; and just a few years ago, it was still fledgling. The pandemic put a real hard step on that pedal, and over the last one year, we’ve seen digital marketing accelerate its way into being one of the most relied upon, preferred and influential spaces. However, within this year, the digitalverse has rapidly evolved. We are witnessing changes on a daily basis. Be it in the form of software updates, UX/UI changes, data collection, listening and analytics or mapping ever-changing social algorithms – to keep up with the trend is an exhaustive process and requires strategies that are flexible, yet resilient. The marketing model today is undoubtedly 360 degree in nature as well as informed, up-to-date, targeted and evolutionary. With data leading the way and algorithms dictating reach, any marketing model, offline or online, works on understanding its consumer thoroughly, while knowing where to draw the line of privacy. It is almost a

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Aman Gupta is Co-founder of D Yellow Elephant (a digital and creative agency) who has spent over two decades working in communications across the Asia-Pacific region with crisis management, government affairs & advocacy and stakeholder engagement as key areas of expertise. He works extensively on adapting new media and technology in order to deliver up-to-date communications strategies. Aman carries a cutting-edge understanding of the pharmaceutical space that enables him to grasp the nuances of emerging technology and innovation in the healthcare market.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

tricky spot for most marketers as they try to step back from what’s come to be known as the “creep factor” in marketing – how do you tell your consumer you understand them without invading their privacy? This is where digital marketing trends have turned top through the pandemic as more and more sectors have sought digital intervention. One of those sectors is healthcare. Due to heavy regulations, the healthcare sector has been largely conservative in its digital approach. While other industries deep dived into rapidly pacing their online and social media presence, the healthcare sector has been watchful of new trends in marketing. Having said that, over the last one year, they’ve had to relook their approach primarily due to the shift in consumer behaviour. A survey recently indicated that nearly 72% of people using the internet have not only searched for health-related information, but health topics are ranked in top five searches across the world. Numbers are hard to ignore. So, if consumers are online, healthcare had to step up. This comes with a host of challenges because healthcare is not like any other industry. Responsibility and credibility are paramount here. Digital strategies in healthcare revolve around engagement and require specialist domain knowledge. Building Knowledge Capital Digital marketing provides the healthcare industry an opportunity to go straight to the consumer. Research suggests that over 70% people are heavily influenced by health information they find online, which in turn impacts their decision-making with regards to treatment. For a digital marketer in the healthcare space, this is a great way to connect with consumers and build lasting relationships. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) have over the last one year capitalised on this opportunity by actively engaging with their patients. In fact a McKinsey survey showed that over 75% of their respondents loved to speak to their specialists online. Today, from the comfort of their homes, people are able to turn to the internet and get access to HCPs. Something we wouldn’t have seen coming before the COVID-19 pandemic broke. What the Tech? A World Full of Possibilities Do a simple google search, and the number one digital marketing trend to pop up in the current scenario would be Artificial Intelligence. If you’re an internet user, chances are you’ve already interacted with an AI chatbot that has solved your queries or popped up a quick “Hi!” when

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you visited a website. AI is not the future. It is the present and it is the biggest digital marketing opportunity that is out there. From chatbots, to voice search optimisation, it dictates most of the content consumed by users today. In the healthcare space, it has made access to healthcare easier and helps keep users engaged longer. Moreover, AI enables personalisation which is key to targeted marketing and a crucial standpoint in healthcare communications. AI is a complex technology that is consistently feeding off data and learning. This can help HCPs target personalised information to patients and other stakeholders. Search engine dominance The role of search engine optimisation (SEO) is underestimated in digital marketing. It is considered a hygiene factor, whereas it is probably one of the most effective digital marketing tools. This understanding has deepened over the last year, but not entirely. User experience is led primarily by layout response, optimised voice-search, good content, design, navigation and load time. If correctly used, an efficient SEO strategy can improve how HCPs connect with patients as well as increase visibility on search results and drive more organic traffic to healthcare websites. Latest data from top-rated search engines showed that over 70% of people searching for health information, click on the results listed on the first page. Content will always take the top spot To this end, no strategy would work if content is weak. Content marketing remains the most important element of digital marketing for all sectors, but more so for healthcare. This is where credibility and a deep understanding of the sector comes into play. Unless there is a proper content channel strategy put in place, backed by in-depth domain knowledge, it is hard to create an impactful digital campaign in healthcare. The digitalverse allows for varied forms of content. Blogs, infographics, videos, podcasts, e-newsletters, are only a few examples that can be optimised for content marketing to showcase expertise to the right audience. This helps engage audiences effectively and garner credibility. The future of healthcare is strategic digital marketing. Thus, while digital marketing trends evolve in what we call the “new normal”, a new era of healthcare marketing in the digital space has emerged as the new normal. And we are all for it.

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Digital First Magazine September 2021

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

Personalized Content is the

Future of Digital Marketing Ambika Sharma, Founder & MD, Pulp Strategy

A science student who went on to study Shakespeare, a software developer who studied advertising, living a life long love story with communication and its strategic arts. Ambika is a thoroughbred marketing professional and a 1st generation entrepreneur with an experience of 19+years, in new age marketing and technology integration. Her expertise includes strategic planning, and Omni Channel Marketing. An opinion leader for the media marketing Industry in India, Ambika is the Founder of Pulp Strategy communications a full-service interactive, digital communications and technology agency that translates creative storytelling into effective data-driven marketing initiatives of scale in the humanized digital era. Pulp Strategy under her entrepreneurship in India’s largest Independent agency in its space and has gained the distinction of being India’s Youngest and most awarded independent agency with 105 global and national recognitions. Her passion for meaningful technology led her to develop and launch Instappy, a cloud-based Rapid Mobile Application Development platform which allows businesses across the globe to build feature loaded, attractive, customized & fully native applications for iOS and Android.

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Content has a way of problem solving: it’s the sweet spot when content and an owned platform solves a consumer problem

ersonalization when implemented correctly, enables brand messaging to break through the cluttered landscape. At a time where consumers are more empowered than ever before, marketers need to be aware of how their content impacts the customer experience. To do this, it is important that to understand what customers want and what kind of content will capture their interest. Giving each customer personalized content shows that you care for your customers and ensures that they are getting exactly what they want from the company. The rise of personalized content: 71% of consumers feel frustrated when a shopping experience is impersonal. Customers want a personalized experience and they are willing to

share the data to enable that experience. Customers actively seek relevant content and 72% of consumers say they only engage with personalized messaging. Personalization allows them to navigate clutter and focus on the things they would like to discover, read, buy, and so on. It’s a lot of wasted time trying to find something buried under 100 things that you don’t care much for. Personalization is good for business. Data and marketing technology now allows for far more personalization than previously possible, personalization makes the marketing funnel more effective and leads to improved conversions. Simply put, it helps sell better, bigger, and smarter. Brands not using personalization will cease to be preferred and will get overshadowed by the competition.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

and consistent across platforms. A great way to plan this is to Personalization is a belief one has to commit to it, an create your own ecosystem which is included in the customer average consumer can get more than 10000 messages a day, experience journey in a meaningful way. Some fitness brands that’s a lot of clutter to breakthrough. Marketers will often for example have tracking and fitness apps which map personal counter this by casting a wide net which makes the messaging fitness journeys or goals for their customers and prospects. generic and ineffectual. To personalize the 1st step is to When such branded platforms offer understand your audience and create utility as well as great content it’s a intelligent personas. good way to keep customers engaged A start point to personalization and build relevance. Branded platforms is to create personas for your target offer a variety of things for consumers, audiences. A persona is a representation including exclusive content, behindof an archetypal user, which can be the-scenes footage, and more. The goal used as a reference point for design of these platforms is to engage with decisions and product features. Personas the consumer in a different way than are often created by combining market traditional advertising does by offering research data with qualitative studies, something that has value to them. giving them more detail about what this Content as a way of problem type of customer might want or need. solving: it’s the sweet spot when Customized personas allow us to start at content and an owned platform the bare basics, demographics, age, etc. solves a consumer problem. With Then layer behavioral data on top of that AI and assistants improving content information. This information can come can be interactive and personalized from a variety of sources including your Data and to solve for specific customer needs. customer databases, digital marketing marketing AI assistants with smarts can engage platforms, and even from 3rd party data. with customers as personal fitness Adding this combined data to AI or big technology now trainers, executive assistants, or a data processing can give a good idea allows for far more storyteller (if your brand is a book of who your customer is and what they publisher). The important thing is to need or require. personalization have a long term plan towards the effort Invest in content creation: of personalization. Understanding the behavior patterns than previously Personalization is the future of can provide triggers that will make possible digital marketing. It’s important to your content more relevant, such that understand that this doesn’t mean it talks directly to the customer. It is you need a personal touch for every an investment, yes, but the alternate is customer interaction — it means using wasted media spends and a messed-up Content, creativity, technology, and site cookie pool. The role of content data analytics to create personalized creation in modern marketing is critical. experiences tailored specifically to Brands should invest more into media your customers’ needs, interests, and production and publishing to stay preferences. Personalization may relevant in the digital age. With the rise result in having to dust off the existing of social media and a range of digital personas or targeting and focusing mediums, it’s become increasingly more on quality rather than quantity, difficult for brands to stand out from the eg: the number of leads may go down but the quality of what noise without creating their own original content. Some major you get will increase consistently as you learn and implement brands are investing millions into blogs, websites, videos, behavior patterns into your user journey. It eventually impacts podcasts, and other forms of new media that allow them to the bottom line positively. Marketers state that personalization communicate with consumers on their own terms can boost revenues by up to 15%. The future of digital (and Ecosystems to personalize journeys end-to-end, your all marketing) is personalized, empathetic, conversational but customers engage with the brand at multiple touchpoints. not cluttered. Content and the brand experience need to be collaborative

First Magazine 22 Digital September 2021

Digital First Magazine September 2021

IN MY

VIEW

How Has Strategies in

Digital Marketing Changed in Recent Times

Nandita Sood, Founder, KERTUS

n a recent conversation, with my sister, reminiscing our school days and how we waited in line for parents to call when in the hostel, “You did not have mobiles?” piped in my niece. No dear was a unison she heard, “How did you SURVIVE” pat came the reply. It is amazing how all-pervading technology in communications has been in our lives. If iPod made music accessible in your pocket, Facebook made social communications a freeway. The last year and a half of the pandemic, escalated the adoption of technology for communication, both for business and personal interactions, at an unbelievable scale. Not only have digital platforms helped keep the wheels rolling during the period, but today have become the centre of every organization’s sales & marketing strategy. For an organization to be seen as a creditable one an online presence is as critical, if not more, than a brick and mortar one. Customer reviews, peer feedback has now come to define the brand authority. In effect, the customer purchase cycle has changed irrevocably from the traditional marketing AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Acquisition) funnel to a more complex path.

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Consumers demand the flexibility to connect and engage with companies over social media, email, phone or WhatsApp

NANDITA SOOD

Nandita Sood is a seasoned professional in marketing communications and general management. With 20+ years of experience, in building brands/marketing strategies in India and overseas in senior management roles under her belt she today leads KERTUS, a boutique marketing agency. Prior to this, Nandita was shouldering responsibilities of Manager Marketing – India, Middle East, and Africa with Bose Corporation. Her approach to building brands through common-sense insights and to stay on top in a competitive business environment by fostering risk-taking, creating cultures of innovation, and empowering people helped Bose be a brand to be reckoned with in both markets.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Let’s look at some trends and patterns of what shaped digital marketing, and what may do so in the coming future. Digital Evolution If not already a part of a company’s strategy, then it needs to be. Today the customers demand a seamless omnichannel experience that allows them to connect, buy, query, be served across the channel of their choice. Order online, pick offline or vice-versa. Hence, your marketing communications needs to be seamless and consistent. Gone are the days where you could vary the offline and online messaging and offers. Consumers demand the flexibility to connect and engage with companies over social media, email, phone or WhatsApp. They are spoilt, for choices and demand flexibility and ease of access and communication. As the device of choice is mobile, websites and other communication media must deliver a seamless experience over this medium. Social Media Social media platforms started as places where people could connect and share in real-time with folks they know or desire to know. Today, Social media has grown to be an important component in the customer’s purchase journey. It is the go-to place for peer reviews, seeking influencer opinions, find alternatives, compare, evaluate and make an educated decision. With over 4.4 billion monthly active users, social media marketing has to be an integral part of your marketing strategies. Platforms constantly evolve. Each market across the globe sees traction for different platforms, depending on your market geography, adapt and adopt. To be visible & create an impact develop a robust content plan to engage your audience and build upon the Brand image. Social media platforms are a great tool for brands to reach their target audience with personalized communication. Content Matters With the internet at the tips of our fingers and “ASK GOOGLE” as the buzzword it is the era of information explosion. Any guesses on the volume of online activity? Is it a wonder that digital media is a crowded place, hence to stand out, be heard, be noticed, can be a challenge. Creating compelling content that resonates with your audience provides the answer. Keep abreast of the new trends and tools made available to use them effectively to stay ahead of the curve.

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Not only have digital platforms helped keep the wheels rolling during the period, it has become the centre of every organization’s sales & marketing strategy

Early adoption of new tools is the best practice. While digital media provides tremendous potential for marketers, excellent content holds the key to success. Personalisation Personalization is the act of tailoring an experience or communication to fit the customer to the T. The tailoring of marketing communications is done based on the data collected about the customer over his/ her various interactions with the brand, their interests, the kind of products or services they browsed through on the website, the social media posts they engage with etc. Factoring in these elements while designing and / or serving the content to the customer, results in better engagement from the customer. A quick instance that comes to mind is one I believe will resonate with most. If you have been browsing a particular product online and have looked at few options, thereafter, no matter what platform you tune into, you will see ads of those offerings and similar items popping up on your screen. What the Seller is doing is, having understood your taste, is serving you the content, again and again, to engage and elicit a response to purchase. Transparency Online space is the consumers’ go-to place for information. In this world of “ASK GOOGLE BABA”, on making a query, everything about you and your organization that has been posted online is likely to pop up. Good reviews, bad reviews, conflicting information mismatched figures controversial social media posts, employee grouse anything and everything that was posted online by you, customers, media or anyone associated with you or your organization Remember, anything that goes online stays online without an expiry date. Brands and brand owners need to be careful what they put out. And be nimble to manage negative sentiment effectively and quickly. With Social media platforms & Search being forced to bring transparency to the fore this is going to be of greater import. Remember 70% of the buyer’s journey is completed before the buyer even reaches out to sales. Consumers today are more involved, they look at companies beyond just the products, company culture, employee morale, product quality, after-sales service etc. are now things of import that factor into their purchase decision.

The reward for being upfront and transparent? Businesses that are honest and open with their customers are rewarded with loyalty; with 94% saying they will remain with a company that offers transparency, and 73% say they would be happy to pay a higher price for their products. Engaging with the Audience Keeping your audience engaged and active on your communication media is CRITICAL. Onepart of the engagement is getting the communication right to connect with them, get them engaged by encouraging user-generated content but most importantly how well, you respond to them when they reach out to you. A quick turnaround time to resolution and response to their queries over social media handles, emails & onlineoutreach is critical for them to stay with your brand. GoPro’s Photo of the Day campaign, which features a customer’s photo on their social media sites every day, is a successful example of this. As a result, customers and prospects stay engaged and share more content while discovering the cameras’ functions along the way, which in turn enhances engagement with the product. Measurement “What gets measured gets improved.” The very fact that digital marketing can be measured and targeted has for the first time made marketing truly measurable. Often there is talk of ROI for digital marketing. Like any measurement for results, there needs to be a scale in place. Before undertaking a digital marketing initiative, define the Key Performance indicators such as Cost per acquisition, customer lifetime value & Marketing channel return on Investment against which to measure the results. The great thing about digital marketing is that it puts you at the steering wheel-stop, adjust, experiment or alter your campaign at any stage of the campaign. The bottom line is, if a brand wants to be successful now and, in the future, it must invest in a kind of “cultural radar” by staying up-to-date with evolving technology and platforms, as well as incorporate digital talent capable of understanding the customer journey and interpreting relevant data to form instructive insights. Brands that can adapt and adjust quickly are most certainly to have a leg up on the competition.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

Can a Business Survive without Digital Marketing in 2021? Geeta Singh, Founder & Director, TYC Communication

an a business survive without digital marketing? Yes! But can it grow? No! No one enters business with the mindset to get by, everyone wants to grow. Positive word-of-mouth is the only hope for an online business aside from digital marketing, which is not enough even to survive. Offline businesses still have the walk-in prospect open, but without marketing, they will also be operating in a bubble. To sell you need to show it to the people who will buy it. Print marketing is restricted in its reach, it can offer only limited growth. When you are associated with a business, you want it to thrive. In this digital age, age of competition, the only way you can thrive is by going digital. Your product can only retain the customers. Influencing them, and getting them to buy your product is digital marketing’s job. Let us go into the detail of business can do achieve for your business the firepower of digital marketing. • Build Trust and Reputation Trust is the foundation of any transaction between two parties, including business. In marketing, trust is closely related to visibility.

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Geeta Singh – Founder and Director of one of the leading Image Consultancy in Delhi, TYC Communication – has a story that could easily become a best-selling novel. She envisioned and incorporated TYC Communication as a proprietorship firm in the field of translation and content marketing in the year 2012. Later, in 2014, TYC Communication developed into a private limited company with a bigger communication and brand image perception gamut, offline and online landscapes. Geeta is a realist, but unlike many realists who are prone to becoming cynical, Geeta exudes optimism.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

You’re scrolling Instagram. You see an ad for beautiful pair of shoes. Instinctively you click on it, browse through their website, but you can’t find their social media. Will you buy from them? A customer will buy from you when she trusts you. Online presence assures accountability of the brand and makes the customers feel safe and confident enough to make that purchase. There is a flip side to this coin, and it is building a reputation. What was the last thing you purchased without doing any research? You can build trust and good reputation with honest and effective digital marketing, which is highly likely to increase your business.

Small businesses did not have this advantage before. Digital marketing is a complete game-changer – before its inception, if a business could not afford TV commercials, a huge banner at a busy square, they would just faded into oblivion. Today a small business with a good product can completely destroy a big player in a particular segment. All thanks to digital marketing!

In this digital, age of competition, the only way you can thrive is by going digital

• Reach People who will Buy Your customers are online, waiting to be sold to. In 2021 nearly 4.5 billion people are using the internet. The kind of exposure you can get by going digital has no bounds. Different mediums contribute to get the desired outcome like Pay per Click, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, SEO, SMO and more. In Digital marketing reaching more people is always the goal, right? Wrong! The goal is to reach the people who will buy. All businesses are different in their products, industries, and one marketing strategy can’t work for all the brands. Some need to reach to masses, some need to cater to a specific audience – it is all possible when you harness the firepower of digital marketing. • Lock Horns with the Big Brands and Competition The fundamental of ‘survival of the fittest’ still persists in discrete ways. This is not just the age of information but also the age of competition. To compete and to win, you need the panache of digital marketing. Digitization is a great leveller. All businesses play on the same field, despite their size and reputation. If you can sell yourself better than a reputed company in the same product segment – you win!

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• ROI off the Roof It offers great ROI. Whether it is paid or free, business indulges in digital marketing. Since your customers are online, you can sell directly to them and grow. Understanding your own business is key here. You need to know your target audience so that you can cut to chase and directly sell to them rather than being a wayfarer. As we discussed, digital marketing is the collective name for various ways of selling online. There are all sorts of options at your disposal. Social media is free also highly effective, SEO is practically free. PPC and some other require you to invest money, but the return on your investment is worth it.

• Penetrate your Niche Assume you are in 2010 and have a niche business idea of selling organic water bottles or solar-powered LED string lights - or assume your company sells niche products like anti-ageing cream, colored hairmascara, how would you have targeted your audience. Would you even dare to go all in with ideas like these? Fortunately, we are way past that. It is 2021! You have digital marketing – you are not limited. Just because your product is niche you will not abandon a good idea. Because you know you can find that niche audience group and sell it to them. Smart businesses have already understood the importance of digital marketing. They are aware that their growth is directly proportional to their effectiveness of marketing. There has been no better way in history to run a business, we all know why!

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Digital First Magazine Higher Education Digest September October 2021 2020

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

How do We Use Design as a Tool to Affect the Bigger Picture and Reach a Larger Audience? Hetal Ajmera and Bianca D’ sa Vincent, Founders, Sharpener

Hetal Ajmera has always had a penchant for creativity. Her career spans years and her rolodex consists of household names such as Fevicol, Orange (Vodafone), Cadbury, DeBeers, Shoppers Stop and Times of India. Incidentally, she realised this pull towards the arts while she was working for Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, JWT, Contract, and others. Over the years she has brought her unique conglomeration of art direction and design to a plethora of projects. A gold medalist in Commercial Art from Sophia Polytechnic, she finally transformed her passions into reality and started Sharpener. Bianca D’sa Vincent is an alumnus of St. Xaviers college with a major in Sociology. Her final goal was to work in Human Resources, but that was not to be because her mind was always ruminating over art. With no formal training, her climb was steep. However, she did not lack grit nor determination, and thus, for seven years, she was thriving in the advertising world. Her repository is filled with clients; you’ll find names from Saffola to Shoppers Stop to Asian Paints to Cabury. Once intangible and abstract, her passion for art has since been manifested. An epiphany to scale new heights, led her to quit advertising and thus Sharpener was born.

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Design helps connectivity and communication, which in turn help it reach all corners of the world

ake a piece of paper, place your hand on it, and trace its outline with the other. A seemingly innocuous activity, this has been a childhood rite of passage, has it not? When an explorer stumbled upon an ancient cave in France, he was filled with wonder because he realised that the myriad parietal drawings were interspersed with many such handprints, with pigments of ochre, rust, and ivory. The need to express and create and the love for art and design have always existed in tandem, since as early as what we refer to as ‘then’. Make no mistake — the ‘now’ is considerably different. We have evolved beyond our wildest imagination, yet we are all that preceded us and all that will succeed us. Today, design has metamorphosed. It has permeated occupations, fields of study, areas of research, hobbies. Sometimes, it is so mind-

bogglingly excellent that it becomes invisible, leading us to not even comprehend how much of it we are subject to. An omnipresent force and an undeniable part of our lives. Perhaps majorly two-dimensional once, design is multifaceted beyond compare. With the kind of power it wields, we must ask how it can be used as a tool and how it can reach a wider audience? The answer is exactly ‘right’; it is horizontal, vertical, and intersecting. The first forte lies in the vast expanse of mediums that constitute the term itself. Rather than being static, it is a dynamic mix, and it spans architecture, mechanics, media, technology, and more. Likewise, it draws from several knowledge bases, thereby improving the process that goes behind the outcome. An apt example of this is the tourist t-shirt which tackled language barriers through icons. It was ideated, tweaked, shaped, modified, produced, and

Digital First Magazine September 2021

styled by taking brilliant minds and putting them to the task. A crucial part of design-centric thought is identifying a lacuna or a need and solving it with creativity. These very platforms that people use to interact with it also function as a means to contribute to it. Through feedback, critique is offered, and through compliments, encouragement. Making accessible the principles of what is being produced allows for emphasis on the process and not just the outcome. Why must it be about either the journey or the destination when it can be about both? This perspective increases efficiency as well. Take the paradigm of biomimicry, a design concept that derives from using

Today, design has metamorphosed. It has permeated occupations, fields of study, areas of research, hobbies

elements from nature. When applied, be it to infrastructure or gadgetry, it is seen to be resourceful and sustainable, without skimping on the utility and sometimes even enhancing it. This brings us to the second point, which is verticality. For sure, design does focus on the aesthetic and the utility, but it also introduces a tenet of meaning. It has the ability to be profound, along with the effect it has on society.

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Recently, there have been upheavals due to the issues that we collectively face. There have been glorious movements that have used symbols emblematic of the cause that is being advocated. Design thus acts as an umbrella, a visual identifier to represent. It builds communities, too, such as a fanbase for a band or a sports club. If the concept is a unifier, then design is what turns it into a thread that binds. Simple and complex, it characterises duality. Take the prototype of a ‘normal person’, which seems straightforward enough. Although now, it has become obsolete, with accessibility and diversity being emphasised due to a previous lack of inclusivity. Hence, a problem seen in multiple places, even in design, is being addressed as the old is made to change, through design. On the horizon of change is also technology. By transforming more and more abstractions and ideas into something concrete, it is sure to play a primary role at this turning point. New innovations such as artificial intelligence and augmented/virtual reality have leaned heavily on it, whether to make them appealing, easier to use, or adding to their capabilities. For applications, their user interface and user experience are huge factors for success. It is imperative to understand that design is not limited to visuals anymore, instead encompassing experiences and unique solutions for a more extensive audience in a more enriching way. And this is where the intersection of the two aforementioned approaches comes in. At the junction of the longitudinal and the latitudinal is where the crux lies. The reason why design can be used as a tool and reach millions around the globe is that it is adaptable. However, it can become universal but still retain individuality. Design helps connectivity and communication, which in turn help it reach all corners of the world. Nevertheless, it is still whimsical, sparking wonder and curiosity. Being intersectional and multidisciplinary can mould itself to any challenge to provide a custom resolution, no matter how big or small. There is keen thought behind each layer and each action that is taken with care. Not only will design be a fundamental tool for painting the bigger picture, but one for painting a better picture for everyone involved. We have come a long way from handprints on cave walls, yet design has been one of the few constants at the core of our evolution. Instead of eschewing it due to the whole rhetoric surrounding the arts being considered unimportant, we must realise that it has been integral in the formation of the global village. The ‘seven seas’ is now much less a metric for distance but actually a hyperbolic phrase. Of course, design has an influence on everything, but we must make sure that the impact is positive, and furthermore, beneficial for many.

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No matter where you decide to go in India, you’ll find something incredible. And right next to that, you’ll find us. Safe and sanitised stays, waiting to host you. So pack up your bags, dust those boots, come to an OYO near you.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

IN MY

VIEW

The Components that Make a

Digital Marketing Campaign Successful Subramaniam Krishnan, Co-founder & CEO, Two Cents Consulting

“R

elevance” is a term tossed around a lot in the marketing realm. Some people associate it with (or are confused for) “Targeting,” though the two aren’t identical. In marketing, relevance is used as an antithesis for what is perceived as outdated marketing practices associated with “broadcast,” or “blast,” “static, one-message-fits-all” marketing. The pandemic, since last year, has only aggravated the pertinence of this term. What seems like a simple equation - more people consuming more time online is representing a significant shift, and it’s just a small sample of how people have embraced the online realm. As businesses look ahead to begin planning for ‘AC’ (after Corona), it is widely accepted that we will be returning to a changed world. Hence, when a business is shaping its marketing plan, it must integrate a concrete digital strategy. The digital marketing strategy drives leads, customer acquisition, brand awareness, and impactful revenue-generating possibilities. Businesses want to set themselves apart in the market by using creative methods to digitally connect with the target audience in the right place and delivering a compelling message that assists them to decide if a product (or service) meets their needs.

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The ranking factor in search is the key to success in digital marketing

SUBRAMANIAM KRISHNAN

Subramaniam holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and Computer Science from Mumbai University and a couple of Master’s Degrees – one in International Business & Strategy from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Delhi and the second in Marketing Management from L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (WeSchool). His background is in Marketing, Branding, Business Development with a keen interest in Technology and Automation has allowed him to build multimillion-dollar businesses. He also teaches postgraduate and undergraduate courses in three colleges in Mumbai.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

A digital marketing plan outlines what you (as a business) desire to achieve within a given duration so you can meet a set of business objectives. When designing a digital marketing plan, the plan should communicate the benefits of your product/service in a way that resonates with prospective customers and engages them in an immersive experience. One of the benefits of digital marketing is that you can test different approaches and quickly adjust the plan centred on what is working and what is not. The primary components of a digital marketing campaign can be classified into Five. The correct ratio of these elements combined makes up a cohesive and successful digital marketing strategy. The Website, Nurturing the Visitors and Email Marketing The website is an Owned Digital Asset. The primary benefit of having a website is that it is accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Prospective customers can access your website and avail of your services or get the information they need even during non-business hours. If the website looks like it’s straight out of the 70s or takes forever to load, it is highly probable to send the visitors searching for the back or exit button. To keep visitors interested and engaged on the website, you must implement a custom design that reflects your brand and makes it easy for prospective customers to find the information they need. Statistics say that only 1-3% of website visitors make a buying decision the first time they come to a website. Engaging with the balance of 97% visitors determines the success of your digital marketing campaigns. Email Marketing campaigns are the best approach to engage with this group of prospective customers. Statistics say that over 65% of website visitors who didn’t purchase the first time are inclined to purchase in association with a well-planned email campaign. Respect the Handheld Device We exist in a multi-screen society. Hence, it’s critical for your content to be viewable across as many devices as possible since you can never predict what device the prospective customer will be using to view your content. Moreover, Google looks at mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor in its search engine algorithms. User experience and convenience are key elements for customer acquisition. Hence, you should make your

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content mobile-friendly to execute a successful digital marketing campaign. Search Optimisation: Organic and Inorganic The ranking factor in search is the key to success in digital marketing where search optimisation increases the publicity of your business to prospective customers on search engines. When your target audience is searching for specific products or services online through Google or other search engines, you must ensure that your business is listed in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for your prospective customer to find you. If you’re on page 30 of the SERPs, then a prospective customer likely won’t be able to find your business and click through to your website. Search results are classified as the paid search results (inorganic) and organic search results. The goal of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is to rank your website in the organic search results. You can also get your website in the paid area of the search results via Pay Per Click (PPC). Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is when you utilise both SEO and PPC to get traffic from search engines. Implementing a solid search strategy with the correct ratio of organic and inorganic methods will increase your website’s visibility within the search engines. In summary, improved search rankings deliver more leads that can potentially convert to revenue for your company. Content Marketing The significance of content marketing in digital marketing relates to its ability to increase the volume of quality traffic to your website. Content is king in generating awareness and creating qualified leads which support healthy revenue growth. Strategic Content, when correctly implemented across channels has the influence to pull your target audience to your business’s website, which is ultimately the place where they will convert into leads, and then customers. The most efficient method to drive relevant traffic to your website is through the content that you develop for your various channels - blog, for search optimisation, for your social media marketing, for your email marketing etc. The quality of your content is directly proportional to the time prospective customers invest in engaging with your business, develop trust in your brand and become a customer.

Businesses want to set themselves apart in the market by using creative methods to digitally connect with the target audience

Social Media Marketing User data from social media contributes to ramping up email marketing activities. Businesses can simply get to know the interests and updates made by their target audience at a pre-defined frequency to plan marketing strategies accordingly. Social Media is a two-way communication channel that lets you speak and listen to your target audience for an improved customer experience. It assists in building business visibility and brand awareness. A strong social media presence positively impacts search optimisation as most of the prospective customers search over the web and social media sites before making final buying decisions. Social Media Marketing campaigns combining organic efforts with sponsored content and paid advertising promotions on key platforms reach a larger target audience and increase brand lift. The Five Components are topped up with the final element – Analytics. You must measure the results and know the trends from your website, blog, email campaigns, search engine ranking, and social media. Capturing and analysing the data is imperative to the success of digital marketing since it gives companies insights into customer behaviour and their preferences in the digital world. The reality of life is that we are in a technologydependent world where we depend on the Internet for all our queries or desires. One of the vital reasons why Digital Marketing is imperative is because the Internet has enabled businesses to interact with targeted audiences in real-time. Customers have grown accustomed to participating and interacting with one’s brand or business. Another equally vital reason is Affordability. Digital marketing is substantially more affordable when compared to traditional marketing channels. An email or social media campaign can send your message to a wider and relevant target audience for a fraction of the price of a print advertisement. Whether your business is thriving or growing, you will be missing out on myriad opportunities, and revenue if you’re not accurately employing digital marketing campaigns. And yes, it can really be made Successful if you’re willing to apply!

Digital First Magazine September 2021

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

Elements of a Successful

Digital Marketing Campaign Hamza Chhatrisa, COO & Co-Founder, DAB of India

Mr. Hamza Chhatrisa is an industrious alumnus of Rizvi Institute of Management Studies & Research, an esteemed institution in the Mumbai University circles. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Management Studies and soon curated a unique, impressive mix of industry experience in digital marketing. Before he co-founded DAB of India, which was relatively earlier in his life than most bootstrapped entrepreneurs, he had already tasted incredible success as a digital marketing expert. He has worked with brands like Lodha Group, Rustomjee Life Spaces, Dosti Realty, VIBGYOR Group of Schools and many more. A part of his role at DAB of India involves nurturing cross-functional teams and creating a thoroughly inspired community that delivers enhanced results, a mark that differentiates the work rolled out by his team at DAB. Hamza’s life is an interesting mix of his Bombaiya roots cultured into Pune’s growth dynamic.

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Content marketing is all about storytelling. Our attention will always go to those who tell great stories

s the world emerges from COVID-19, people in all levels of business realize that the old ways of attracting customers and closing deals don’t work anymore. The Internet has introduced an additional dimension in the way people make choices. To develop a need to extend the “4Ps” of marketing to 7, to include people, process, and physical evidence. It would be best to say that in order to thrive and survive in the present business landscape, one requires a good grasp of digital marketing principles and practices. There is a realization amongst Companies & Brands that an enormous chunk of their marketing budgets needs to be channelized towards creating effective digital marketing plans and strategies which shall bring them more customers and revenue. The ever-evolving digital marketing field demands innovative ideas and solutions to promote products

and services online. However, it doesn’t take an army of creative people and resources to run a successful digital marketing campaign, one only requires a clear understanding of the key elements of running a successful digital marketing campaign. Below mentioned are the key points to consider while strategizing or planning for a digital marketing campaign. Defining Goals The main goal of any business in today’s era is to boost their sales and revenue. But it’s very important to know the right methods to achieve your destination faster. One must categorically decide if their digital marketing campaign should be planned to get more leads, to promote a new or existing product/service or to increase the overall brand presence in the existing or new market. These are all just different paths that will lead to the same result, so one must first choose which is the most appropriate for them.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Identifying Buyer Personas If one has a clear understanding of the persona of the target audience it’s much easier to develop content that speaks to the ideal buyer and meets his requirements Buyer personas refine your digital marketing efforts. They help the marketing team allocate resources, attract leads, and understand what drives people to make purchases. This step will give you a clear understanding of the buyer’s needs which in turn shall help you curate content and come up with topics which shall be more relatable to the customer. Web Design All your digital marketing efforts require a strong website to back it up. Your website is a powerful element of your marketing strategy and should form the backbone of all your online and offline marketing. Having a responsive website and an online presence is non-negotiable. On an average, a user would expect a load time of three seconds after which he will leave the site. Users expect your website to have an easy navigation, filled with relevant and engaging content and ensure a smooth experience from the very first click, so in short you must be familiar with the principles of good website design to get the digital campaign right. SEO After having put a lot of effort into developing a website, it’s imperative that it gets discovered by the target audience when they put in a search query. This activity in order to be done requires the website to be SEO full proof. SEO is the process of improving the search ability of the website on Google using various on page, off page and technical SEO ways. There are many ways like quality content, improving user experience, link building to rank the website in potential keywords so that it has a higher chance of ranking on SERP results. SEO gives your website the best chance of being discovered by the right audience. Content Marketing Content marketing is all about storytelling. Our attention will always go to those who tell great stories. Also, in today’s digitized environment, consumers are well informed and have many resources to quench answers for their questions and doubts. The audience is always looking for high-quality content and that’s exactly what one should provide with their digital marketing campaign. Customers don’t appreciate brands

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that’s only focused on selling. They highly appreciate brands that educate them about the product more rather than hard selling. Thereby, the only way to nurture the brand customer relationship is to present them with opportunities to understand better about the product using informative content, compelling topics that make them feel connected. Social Media Marketing Social media is a space where you can delight your customers with unexpectedly exceptional customer service, better product / service knowledge. Digital marketing campaigns, when planned, keeping the social space in mind boost brand awareness, add credibility and thought leadership to the entire campaign. Every Industry has an advantage over a certain social media platform which should be capitalized to its maximum potential in order to reach a good audience strength. For FMCG, F&B, Fashion Instagram as a platform would work wonders but that same wouldn’t be true for B2B, Manufacturing brands, for them LinkedIn would be a much apt platform to capitalize on. Email Marketing Sending email to your target audience is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic, engagement and conversion. It’s a brilliant method to keep in touch with your audience and let them know what you’re up to, making it one of the key elements of a successful marketing campaign. However, keep in mind that timing and frequency are one of the most crucial factors. Sending a few random emails every now and then is not a productive method and it won’t get you the results you’re expecting. Make a smart content and trigger-based email plan to make sure your email marketing efforts get you the most advantage in running a successful digital marketing campaign. Pay-Per-Click Advertising Pay per click marketing presents a significant opportunity for digital marketers to grow their traffic and conversion metrics. It helps you gain the much-needed exposure and get seen by the right audience. The great advantage of PPC advertising is that you can target audiences of a particular demographic, location, behavior based on their purchase / media consumption habits What’s even better is you only pay when someone clicks on the ad, making it the most lucrative element of a successful digital marketing campaign.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

How Audio Platforms Such As Podcast Are Upping The Digital Marketing Engagement Game Harish Patel, Co-founder, Logicloop

ast year, the unprecedented pandemic accelerated the growth of digital marketing in India. Numerous established businesses and small brands have explored and embraced digital platforms and allocated a large chunk of their budget in online marketing strategies. Correspondingly, audio platforms enjoyed a massive surge in popularity as the lockdown measures forced a diverse audience to tune into audio content. It has undoubtedly become a rage today, especially among the millennials and Gen Z. For these obvious reasons, audio platforms such as podcasts and apps like Clubhouse are aiding digital marketing agencies to boost audience engagement. In addition, digital content has shifted from stills to Audio/Video in the past few years to make it more appealing to the audience. However, audio content have become the favourites since video content involves high cost and long production processes such as shooting and editing, which is not a viable option. Rise of Social Audio Platforms According to a KPMG report 2021, India has become the third-largest podcastlistening market worldwide, and the numbers are predicted to grow exponentially in the near future. It is not a surprise since India has always been obsessed with audio. It is a personal and integral part of the culture to listen to stories, songs and experiences in India.

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Harish Patel is one of the co-founders of Logicloop, a leading digital solutions company in India which have helped 100+ brands to scale exponentially through datadriven strategies and high impact digital solutions. Prior to this, he co-founded the successful start-up Reality Redefined which went on to become the largest software solutions provider for Real Estate companies in India. After scaling operations to 8 cities in India and building a team of 250 employees, the company was sold to the Indian online classifieds major Quikr.com. A Computer Science graduate from Mumbai University, he comes with a long 15+ years of experience in the tech world and he has worked in leading multinational companies like GE Consumer & Industrial, Amdocs and Lehman Brothers astutely handling different functional areas.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Visual fatigue - Amidst the pandemic, people are spending too much time in front of the screen due to video conferencing and zoom calls. Besides, watching videos on a smartphone or other devices requires a lot more attention and physical engagement, which is leading to visual fatigue. Audio platforms, on the other hand, are a breath of fresh air. The platforms like podcasts are an aural pleasure that takes you and your imagination on an exciting journey through the power of spoken words. Diverse content genres - You can find a wide and diverse range of content genres and niches in audio platforms. In apps like Clubhouse, there is room for every topic under the sun ranging from self-growth, spirituality, motivation, lifestyle, politics, fashion, music, cinema, gaming etc. This is an advantage to the listeners. Personal - Most of the people in India, without a doubt, have grown up listening to stories from parents and grandparents. Podcasts are not too different as they are very personal. Those consuming audio content often feel connected to the host as if the person is talking to them. Easily blends with daily routine - Audio platforms are quite liberating in the sense that they easily blend with your daily routine. You can easily engage in tasks like cooking, eating or driving, and at the same time, enjoy a podcast on your favourite topic. Regional languages - Major podcast hosting platforms are developing audio content in regional languages now. Gone are the days when the English language was only used. This has opened up opportunities for digital agencies to tap regional markets easily. Social Audio Platform Trends in 2021 It is interesting to note that the rise in popularity of social audio platforms has shaken many businesses in the digital and tech industry. Clubhouse app, the audio chat app and its rapid growth have been one of the defining points in social audio platform trends. Podcasts were in the mix for a long time. However, they became extremely popular and reached great heights only recently. Since then, Twitter has launched live audio room - Spaces, and social media giant Facebook is already testing audio features integrated into its platform. According to reports, LinkedIn is conducting early tests to develop an audio experience for its users. Additionally, Spotify acquired Betty Labs for the social audio app Locker Room focused on sports. The recent trends stress the fact that audio platforms are on the cusp of redefining how people consume content online. The live social audio has further powered the

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voice-only content among the customers. It has opened a plethora of marketing opportunities for businesses and digital marketing agencies. How Social Audio Platforms Help Digital Marketing As it turns out, social audio platforms with so much potential cannot be ignored by marketers in 2021. Find out how these are upping the digital marketing engagement game. Brand stories - As podcasts and audio platforms are very personalized, brands have the unique opportunity to share their story, cause they are involved in, vision and mission of the business etc. in an engaging manner. It also helps in building the brand image. Moreover, you can directly get customer feedback about brand, products and services and develop real-world connections with your loyal customer base. Customer retention - One of the key parameters that contribute to any business growth is customer retention. Audio content has the capability of retaining customer attention for longer periods than any other platform, and they are a convenient medium as well. Thus, brands can utilize it effectively to reach their target audience, influence the buying decision and achieve customer retention goals. Low cost - As mentioned before, churning out audio content or podcasts means a lower cost of creation, than say videos. You can create a podcast from the comfort of the home, studio or anywhere. Conversational live social audio channels do not even need the script. It drastically reduces the expenses and directly improves the budget too. Broader amplification - Once customers are subscribed to podcasts or your social audio channels, the chances for content amplification is very high. It will give a major boost to your marketing and maximize reach as well. You can engage the customers with valuable, knowledgeable and helping content in different audio platforms and reach a new audience. More transparent - It is easier for customers to engage with a brand in an audio-chat room than anywhere else. Developers, content creators and designers can share their inspiration with customers, which in turn, helps in developing trust and rapport. To sum up, audio platforms today are one of the best methods to maximize customer engagement. According to experts, the market for audio platforms is set to grow in the future. Thus, exploring and utilizing the social audio trend can help brands gain a competitive edge over competitors.

Higher Education Digest July 2020

Digital First Magazine September 2021

IN MY

VIEW

Factors to Remember when

Marketing Digitally Sushma Singhvi, Founder, Gunjan Foundation

ccording to a UNESCO report, the pandemic is adversely impacting over more than 290 million students across many countries due to the closure of schools in the wake of the lockdown. In India, schools and colleges shut down with immediate effect with the countrywide lockdown in place. The structure of schooling was one of the first to be affected by this. In the aftermath of the havoc wreaked by the pandemic, there have been some landmark shifts in the Indian education system. While the COVID-19 pandemic caused havoc in terms of health and safety, it has a forced a digital revolution in the education industry. It is ubiquitous to see our young minds of the country engaging with gizmos in the name of online classes and learning. PDFs have replaced textbooks; screenshots have replaced notes and the classroom environment replaced by Google workspace. In addition to the change in environment and mode of learning, screen time has seen a skyrocketed increase with as high as 15 hours a day for many children. This has led to an increased strain on our fragile eyes and a need for better focus by the brain.

First Magazine 48 Digital September 2021

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to change the delivery, quality, and way of education

SUSHMA SINGHVI

Sushma Singhvi is a Social Activist and founder of the Gunjan Foundation. She is a true environmentalist and social worker. From her younger days, she had a strong desire to provide a platform to underprivileged children so that they may grow and lead respectable and productive lives. To draw the attention of Delhites about pollution she organized the first-ever day-long symposium on ‘Mind Pollution’ with a set of distinguished speakers in 2005. Founded Gunjan Foundation with the primary objective of betterment of the community by educating underprivileged children. With the same objective, she started a school in 2010 in Gurugram to provide quality education and to teach them to improve their living condition, to achieve social awareness, self-respect, self-reliance, prosperity, and enjoy a healthy, dignified and sustainable quality of life.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Online e-learning is described as a learning experience using various electronic devices (such as computers, laptops, smartphones, etc.). Online e-learning can be a platform that makes the process of education more studentcentered, creative, and flexible. Online delivery of courses is cost-effective and easily accessible. Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the WHO, there has been a sudden shift in online learning and electronic learning. Moreover, the uncertain future related to returning to normal life and containing this pandemic has resulted in maximum reliance on e-learning, especially in higher education. This crisis will see new technology being accepted by educational institutions that were previously resistant to adaptation. It has been

a difficult time for the educational sector to deal with the current situation. But, these are not the only changes that we’ve experienced. For many, Online Education Technology has been a lifeline - helping with remote teaching and assessment, or connecting children with teachers and support. A shift towards online learning has translated to better access to knowledge. We were already witnessing a trend where the internet was becoming the first option for our doubts and study material than teachers and books. Imagine the last time you picked up a dictionary to search for a word meaning and not simply googled it; ponder over the time it saves and an opportunity to learn wherever you are without carrying bulky books. The pandemic has proven

Learning is becoming more and more centralized

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to be a catalyst for this trend. Online resource banks have been created for the public benefit by the center and state a big step in ensuring ‘education for all’ and eventually a rise in the human development index. Indeed accessibility to knowledge has increased times manifold. Governments have been investing increasing resources to raise the availability of digital devices across schools and households, some academic literature has tried to establish the mechanisms through which the use of digital devices affects students’ learning. Developing strong attitudes towards learning can help students overcome some of the potential challenges posed by online learning such as, for instance, remaining focused during online classes or maintaining sufficient motivation. They are also crucial in supporting students using information and communications technology effectively and making the most of new technologies for learning. Another area of impact is the quantity of content available. Private Ed-tech corporations have taken the pandemic to their advantage by launching courses, apps, and live call tutorials. More and more companies are venturing into Ed-tech and new ones are being created every day. In response to the growing demand, several online learning platforms are offering free access to their services. With the announcement of free live classes on its Think & Learn app, BYJU has seen a 200 percent increase in the number of new students using its products. A platform like Byju’s leading to the emergence of global EdTech leaders has a valuation of $15 billion. The EdTech industry has attracted private equity and our current market size is about $700-800 million. Even tutoring is becoming as easy as learning. You can simply make a video of what you want to teach and put it on YouTube which will benefit numerous unknown students of yours. Online learning systems have also proven to be economical in terms of time devotion. One no longer has to get up early, get dressed, take a ride and walk to his/her classroom; this is easily saving an hour a day. It won’t be incorrect to say that online learning has somewhat improved the quality of education as well. Students no longer have to attend classes of a teacher that they’re uncomfortable with just because their school has

assigned him/her to their class. Online learning platforms allow students to choose their mentor from an array of teachers after considerable trails classes. Today is the era of smartphones and computers in which artificial intelligence surrounds us everywhere. Our daily activities are loaded with these Artificial Intelligence techniques which are a game-which are many areas. Artificial intelligence is far better at predicting behavior than the human mind. It helps the learning process more interesting and increases students’ motivation. It also helps to transform the traditional teaching methods and includes new and effective methods to improve learning. Another major thing important for effective E-learning is Artificial Intelligence which is helping online learning teachers, students, and administrations to process data accurately, with the ability to process and analyze large data sets quickly and efficiently. Artificial intelligence technology can interpret the data of children’s reading and identify their reading patterns and trends. And Alert the user by gaining insight into the learner’s learning style, pace, and interval. Artificial Intelligence has the potential to change the delivery, quality, and way of education. It also promises to change the role of teachers, parents, students, and educational organizations. Using Artificial Intelligence software, systems, and support, students are capable to learn at any time from anywhere in the world. Implementation of artificial intelligence technology in the education sector has gained momentum recently and helping learners to learn basic skills. Artificial Intelligence is fast, accurate, and efficient when it comes to answering questions with all the arguments and explanations in real-time. One major characteristic to highlight is that learning is becoming more and more centralized with a watchdog institution in every field and at all levels. For example, CBSE and ICSE control the secondary education system of the country while UGC is the body for higher education. These and similar institutions have control over subjects and the content of teaching as well. This is proven by the fact that even private universities that wish to be accredited by the state need approval on their course structure and content.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

How Social Media Marketing Has Become a Business Necessity

Himanshu Arya, Founder & CEO, Grapes Digital

he rapid expansion of social media has considerably changed the dynamics of the marketing arena. The last few years were dominated by personalized, Influential marketing to Artificial Intelligence and Voice Assistant (VA). The emerging popularity of such tools has transformed the way brands communicate

to viewers. For many decades’ marketers favoured print, radio and TV mediums for interacting with their target audience, but now these age-old traditional mediums are getting disrupted with the emergence of new media techniques. Social media has transformed itself from just being an entertainment platform to an integrated marketing channel. 2020, being a historic and challenging year for the world brought a sea of changes, but one of the biggest changes it caused was the significant rise in the use of social media. Digital media has grown exponentially in the last 18 months, thanks to the pandemic for being the disruptor. It poised challenges in front of businesses to accept the changes, as change is the law of nature. The pandemic has accelerated the shift by five years in consumer and business digital adoption. The outcomes of the pandemic affected not only the economy but also the balance sheets. Amid such a situation, marketers deliberated to spend wisely on marketing. Advertisements, campaigns and promotions are a must for the brands, and therefore marketing through social media channels is a big relief

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Himanshu Arya, a banker turned into an entrepreneur, is a pleasant example of ‘Where there is a will there is a way’. Himanshu always dreamt of building something of his own, he decided to move away from a cosy banking job and a fixed income in 2009 to start a software company, Grapes Software. Himanshu was courageous enough to leap into the uncharted territories of entrepreneurship. Despite several ups and downs, Himanshu followed the path and has come a long way in the last 11 years. During this time, he upgraded Grapes Software into Grapes Digital, which is currently India’s leading independent digital agency. Today, Himanshu Arya is a name to reckon with in India’s advertising business with two thriving offices across Delhi and Mumbai. He has won several awards and is a close advisor to brands on digital marketing solutions. Himanshu is an avid reader and likes to keep abreast with changing times and newer developments. He is a firm believer in collectively creating good work for the industry and motivating young talent.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

for marketers due to its cost-effective business model. This led businesses across varied verticals to shift their marketing strategies. Even during the lockdown, people were spending a long time on social media channels more than ever, thus, in a way creating an opportunity for brands to leverage it. It’s quite apparent that social media gives massive reach and provides effective results in increasing brand exposure, but at the same time, it demands better execution and research. Marketing on social channels has evolved significantly going beyond just like, share and comment to using advanced machine learning to target users based on their expected behaviour. Social media frequently comes with innovative measures to lure brands. Developments like Snapchat’s brand filters and Instagram in-app purchases, reels introduction to the app, the arrival of Clubhouse in India and many other developments took social media by storm. Let’s look at some of the trends that must be incorporated in the social media marketing strategy:-

gives better customer engagement, builds credibility and trust. However, brands should be more prudent in their choice of influencer otherwise it might not be productive. Companies should craft their strategies innovatively, with a twist, as trends become noticeable when it’s new, in-demand or out of the box. Even, collaborating with micro-influencers works effectively, but it goes well only with the right influencer reaches the right TG.

Brand Advocacy Content plays a pertinent role in brand advocacy, but it has to be Interesting, Appealing and Engaging to your target audience. It helps the brand reach a larger number of people without spending much. Brand advocacy will come as a major initiative in social marketing to promote the product or service to customers organically. There is no short route to get organic engagement; fake followers can never give a long-lasting reach to the brand. Hence, clear and precise content is the key to success in the future of social media marketing.

Video-on Demand While users are addicted to their mobile phones, leveraging video content has become very crucial. Branded content viewership is witnessing a huge upsurge in the digital world. Video content is going to dominate social media marketing this year too, as video garners better ROI than texts. The power of video is that it can make your brand viral too if it’s fresh and engaging. In India, till now Social media marketing is used for customer engagement and building purposes but we could see this space driving sales also. Facebook is one of the leading platforms for product discovery; Instagram and Snapchat are also catching up with this trend. At a later stage, we could see other companies joining the bandwagon to promote their products on social media to boost sales. However, brands should take the advantage of social media platforms strategically instead of overdoing them because it deteriorates the interest amongst the users. Social Media has come a long way from being just a photo-sharing platform and will see newer concepts, unique ways to engage with the users in the digital world. But businesses should keep in mind that this is the right time to start because the earlier you start, the faster you see the growth in the business. Social media has enough room to develop, and the possibilities are endless. Maybe in the coming years, it will decimate conventional marketing.

Budget-Friendly and Build Awareness Social media as a marketing medium is one of the costeffective mediums that produce attainable results as well. Where other marketing channels hold a bigger pie of the marketing budget, social media can deliver a better ROI. The other valuable thing social media encompasses is that it helps in developing a loyal customer base, if people like your products/services then customer satisfaction will grow ultimately. It’s the only platform where you can engage with your target audience. Influencer marketing Although present for a few years now, Influencer marketing was earlier limited to celebrities and bloggers. Now, brands are increasingly using this as a tool in their marketing mix. The reason being, it

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Chatbots & AI Chatbots and AI are gaining utmost importance for companies whose business depends on smartphones and drive sales through social media. This is one of the reasons food delivery apps and the travel industry are increasingly dependent on AI. In the pandemic, pharma was also one of the sectors that used AI frequently. In future, we could see the automotive, retail and other industries investing in this particular tool considering these sectors efficiently use social media to strengthen their marketing game.

Higher Education Digest September 2020

Digital First Magazine September 2021

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

Digital Marketing Techniques Every ServiceBased Industry Should Use Yasin Hamidani, Co-founder & Director, Media Care Brand Solutions

Yasin Hamidani is the Co-founder & Director of Media Care Brand Solutions, an integrated marketing agency that focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses, start-ups & brands to achieve their marketing and sales goal. He comes with an experience of 8+ years in the PR & Digital Marketing domain and has successfully worked with more than 150+ brands across multiple sectors in India & Globally.

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SEO is one of the foremost imperative digital marketing tools at your disposal

f you need to gain as many deals as conceivable, you wish to induce your digital marketing strategy right. In this article, we’re getting to layout a few of the leading digital marketing procedures for service-based businesses.

Focus on utilizing the foremost appropriate social media platforms Businesses got to take advantage of social media — it’s a really capable digital marketing tool for coming to unused clients. As well numerous businesses make the botch of attempting to be on each stage at once, which can have a negative impact on the quality of their

content. Focus on a couple of diverse platforms that are pertinent to your trade. For occasion, on the off chance that you have got a part of image-based content like a makeup artist or hair salon would, Pinterest, Instagram Reels, and Instagram Feeds are all great choices. In case you give services to other professionals and businesses, LinkedIn could be a strong choice. In case you’re just seeking out for the biggest stage, Facebook is your best wagered. Take a look at how Cadiveu India, which is an international brand into hair keratin treatment has too incorporated social media into their digital marketing strategy well. Take a look at what they’ve highlighted on

Digital First Magazine September 2021

their Instagram page: a delicate model/customer showcasing hair smoothness & shone after using the product at of their partnered salons. This is often an incredible way to promote the product & its USP and the salon and the work of their stylists! Individuals who like this, could be more willing to contact the brand for information on the product or reach out to the salon for more availing the services. Keep in mind the sort of services you offer when choosing your social media stages — Cadiveu India, for instance, contains a part of photo-worthy content, making Instagram a awesome choice for them. Use SEO strategies to climb the search engine results pages Search engine optimization, or SEO, is one of the foremost imperative digital marketing tools at your disposal. Typically the method of optimizing your website’s content and copy to create it rank higher within the search engine results pages (SERPs). There are three basic components of boosting your SEO. To begin, you ought to make content based on keyword research. Head to a keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner with a list of words and phrases related to your trade. Plug them into the planner, and Google will give you with a list of keywords related to the subject. Basing your content off of these keywords, or weaving them into your content in a normal way, will assist you boost your positioning within the search engines. You ought to also consider putting together a link-building methodology. Link building is the method of securing links from other definitive websites in your specialty. When this happens, Google takes it as a vote of certainty in your work and gives you a boost within the SERPs. In conclusion, make beyond any doubt your specialized SEO is top-notch. Here are a few illustrations of specialized SEO requirements: - Have a fast-loading site (attempt to keep it beneath two seconds) - Compress the pictures on your website

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Businesses got to take advantage of social media — it’s a really capable digital marketing tool for coming to unused clients

- Make your site mobile-friendly - Have an instinctive route framework Utilize content marketing to attract the correct individuals Content marketing is one of the foremost critical tools at your disposal for drawing in your ideal audience. It’s the method of creating content, like articles, videos, live streams, and the like, in order to assist your clients and draw in new people to your website. One great way to come up with content marketing themes is by replying common client questions. Check in along with your customer service team to see if there are any questions they get frequently. On the off chance that you base your content on these questions, your clients will feel understood and believe you more. You can too conduct a few addresses keyword research. Bring a list of words and expressions to a keyword research tool like Answer the Public. They will give you with a list of questions related to any given subject. Basing your content on these questions will grant you a boost within the SERPs, which can bring more traffic to your site and increment your sales! Make case studies to appear how past clients have profited Case studies are an awfully successful digital marketing tool. They can show your clients the results you’ve accomplished or other clients! When working together with your new clients, be beyond any doubt to ask for permission to record information on the results of your services. Keep track of data before, during, and after your service process along with your clients. Once you’ve got this data, compile it into a blog post or article. You need to be beyond any doubt that your imminent clients see these case studies, so be beyond any doubt to share them on social media and promote them on your site, including by connecting to them through important pages. This will show your site visitors that you’re gifted in what you do and get you more clients! Guest post for websites important to your work Guest posting is fair what it sounds like — it’s the method of making content for other definitive websites in your specialty in order to construct your backlinks

and boost your SEO. It can assist you get the word out about your trade among your target audience! When searching for guest posting opportunities, consider reaching out to your network. On the off chance that you know of diverse influencers or businesses that work in your specialty or one that’s comparative, reach out to them and see on the off chance that you’ll make content that would be a great fit for their guest posts. You can too take a look at diverse websites that are pertinent to your possess and see in case they have rules for guest posting entries, such as length prerequisites and subjects. Or, reach out to their head writer or editors to see if they’re taking article entries. When coming up with subject thoughts, think almost what you’re best at. Compose guest posts around points you’re an master in — what individuals come to your trade for over anybody else. This strategy will get you awesome results and possibly more clients as you appear off your expertise. Screen your marketing execution and adjust in like manner You can’t just put together a digital marketing strategy and after that follow it blindly — for the most excellent results, you wish to screen the comes about closely and adjust your procedure appropriately. Here are a few examples of key execution pointers that can provide you an idea of how your content and site is doing: - CTR on social media - Conversion rates - Number of returning visitors - Web activity sources Be beyond any doubt to remain adaptable in your technique and tune in to the data. In the event that you aren’t doing well in a specific region, consider how you’ll be able alter up your technique to urge the comes about you need. Conclusion Digital marketing could be a precarious monster — in this article, we sketched out a few diverse methods to move forward your website and become more effective. Content marketing, SEO, and social media are all incredible ways to progress your technique.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

IN MY

VIEW

Marketeers Need to Keep these things in Mind While

Planning New Marketing Campaigns Shiraz Khan, Founder & Director, Spicertee Design Agency

n the modern era, marketing activities have undergone a tremendous change. The pandemic has further created a need for greater focus and the emergence of ‘horses for courses’ marketing strategies. Even though the basic customer traits such as purchase behaviour might remain the same, the way a business approaches the marketing activities has changed. It is no longer a secret that all businesses, even those within the same industry are different in terms of their service quality and needs. They need unique and impactful marketing strategies that set them apart from their competitors. Observing the rivals to understand what works and customizing marketing strategies to target specific audiences are things that can help tremendously in business growth. The emergence of digital marketing and the absolute need for it in the wake of the pandemic has posed a unique challenge for businesses all over the world. The biggest problem for them today is not about identifying and strongly focusing on a specific marketing channel. Rather, they now need to create an extensive as well as integrated marketing strategy that has multiple focus areas integrated into it. For instance, no matter whether you make jewellery, shoes or are simply a service provider, you need the support of social media marketing to

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Marketers all over the world constantly focus on harnessing the power of the digital platforms

SHIRAZ KHAN

Shiraz Khan, the Founder Director of Spicetree Design Agency (SDA) Pvt. Ltd, and an ingenious professional with a rich blend of experience and expertise. Shiraz formed the venture in 2004; prior to this, he was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at a software developing company. Under his able leadership, SDA has effectively broadened its horizons from graphic designing to the realm of digital marketing -- with the philosophy of complementing creatives with science intact to date. Shiraz harbours a mindset that is result-driven, he considers every day as an opportunity to scale the heights of success even further.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

achieve different objectives. For some companies, social media is to spread awareness about their work, for others it is to engage customers, and there are start-ups etc., that rely on social media for leads and sales. Need for social media Having healthy brand engagement on social media channels is as critical today as having a website for your company was a few years ago. Back then if you were not found online in Google search then you didn’t exist. Today, if you are not being talked about positively on social media then you don’t matter. Social media engagement has become a strong and a double-edged tool. Marketers all over the world constantly focus on harnessing the power of the digital platforms to propel their brands and to proactively undertake damage control wherever needed. Customization of campaigns Even when social media is bound to be an integral part of any marketing strategy, there are a number of factors that need to be taken into account while devising the plan. The marketers and marketing agencies need to create campaigns which are tailored to reach the right audience with the right information in the right manner. For instance, let’s say you are devising a marketing strategy for a car dealership. In such a scenario, the right strategy would be to create a targeted campaign for the audience residing within a 5 km zone if the dealership is located in a major city with multiple dealer outlets, and to target the audience within the district or the town when the dealership is in a smaller city or rural area. Further, you will need to strategically identify where your audience is and try to engage them at those points. It could be housing society or shopping mall activations or social media advertising on popular platforms such as Facebook, and Instagram. A recruitment and business productivity tools provider would target LinkedIn audience strongly, whereas a travel services provider will target those on Instagram. Accordingly, there will be factors such as influencer marketing, Google AdWords campaigns or other channels that can generate the maximum visibility and lead generation among the target audience. Importance of market research Any marketer with a reasonable degree of knowledge and experience would tell you that you need to undertake strong market research before planning and finalizing a campaign. That’s why a dipstick study on your target audience is of utmost importance. Understanding what the customers want, their problem areas, the available

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solutions in the market and how you can better deliver the experience to the customers, is of critical importance in creating campaigns and products that engage as well as delight the customers. For quality conscious brands that focus on staying updated with the audience sentiments and preferences, it is important to put in place a mechanism that generates constant feedback and customer engagement and shares the insights generated with the customers. This is another area where social media engagement has come across as a cost effective, real-time assessor of the audience mood and needs.

The way a business approaches the marketing activities has changed

Execution and course correction No matter how brilliantly your marketing campaign is conceptualized or how much thought you put in generating the customer profile before launching the campaign, the eventual ROI of any marketing campaign is the most important area of evaluation. You need to undertake data analytics and other assessment to see if the campaigns are making the desired impact or not. If they are failing to resonate enough or not generating the right response, then you need to review the campaign and focus on constant refinement to yield better results from your marketing efforts. Such a strategic, customized, multi-channel and constantly refined approach towards marketing is going to make your brand stand out and grow faster than most of your rivals. As a marketer or marketing agency in today’s dynamic scenario, you must never lose sight of the above points in order to make each of your campaigns successful!

Digital First Magazine September 2021

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

How Companies are Reaching Out to Customers Digitally Rahul Goyal, Co-Founder, Relatte

Rahul Goyal is the co-founder of Realatte, one of the leading real estate digital marketing companies in India, which has helped more than 100+ top Real Estate brands in India achieve digital expansion goal. Previously, he held a leadership role in the successful startup Realty Redefined, which is now acquired by Quickr. He was engaged in driving growth and digitization of large integrated brands, leading the company to scale and establish its presence pan India. His relentless passion for offering high-performance marketing solutions to Real Estate brands advanced him to his next venture Realatte, which he cofounded in 2017. With a background in engineering, Rahul has over 10+ years of substantial experience in full-scale Digital Marketing services. He continues to lead and deliver success stories by strategizing, executing and scaling digital campaigns.

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Social Media channels have opened up brilliant opportunities interact and engage with customers and maximize audience reach

n the past, product and service quality was the sole focus to reach out to customers and win over them. However, it is no secret today that offering top-notch customer experience has become mandatory to achieve tremendous business growth. Several contributing factors have forever changed the business landscape all across India. The digitallyempowered, tech-savvy and always connected modern consumer is very demanding today which has led to a burgeoning wave of digital transformation. Today, companies cut across verticals, are investing in digital innovations, utilizing effective technologies and deploying digital strategies to boost customer engagement digitally. Moreover, the unprecedented pandemic has brought the spotlight on digital marketing platforms. Customer buying behaviour has undergone a sea change, and they now expect a seamless digital-first experience. As for companies, the cutthroat competition and new market realities have accelerated the digital adoption among different businesses such as the real estate industry to engage customers, and do it better and faster than competitors.

Business Digital Transformation Trends Due to the pandemic-induced business disruption, digital transformation is on an upward trajectory in India. By compulsion or motivation, a large number of established organizations and small businesses have adopted strong measures to digitize processes. According to a Dell Technologies report 2020, 94.7% of Indian companies have accelerated digital transformation initiatives. As far as the digital marketing field is concerned, digital advertising saw 15.3% growth from 2019 to 2020 as per the digital report released by Dentsu. Also, the market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 11.59% by 2022. It reinforces the fact that businesses need to be digitalfirst today to engage customers and achieve remarkable growth in the near future. Digital Technology Trends Redefining Customer Engagement Unsurprisingly, consumers today are digital-first customers. The plethora of technologies available such as smartphones, apps, high-speed internet and automation have drastically changed consumer buying habits.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Moreover, the consumer today uses digital channels to find highly informative content and expect memorable and satisfactory customer experience before buying products or availing services. This is where businesses need to up their game and offer highly personalized experiences. The whole customer journey needs to be powered by effective use of digital platforms, online marketing strategies and the latest technologies. Social Selling Digital marketing now involves social selling where you get in touch with potential customers first, build a relationship by educating them about your products and services and lead them into the buying decision. Social media platforms are a great way to achieve this objective. Data-driven Marketing To offer a personalized customer experience, brands need to take a data-driven approach to their marketing. It is only possible by investing in highly engaging and customerfocused online activities such as social media campaigns, search engine marketing and email marketing. It will further enable brands to utilize data received from every customer touch point to better understand their preferences and behaviour. Customer Support Digital marketing and technology allow brands to be proactive and boost customer support by engaging regularly through social media platforms, analyzing reviews and feedback and forming online communities. It helps in increasing the loyal customer base as well. Latest Technologies 5G Internet The 5G Internet is going to redefine how people will consume online information. It will enable customers to make instant decisions by browsing or streaming brand, product and service information faster on their mobile devices. Brands would need to offer smartphonefriendly content and new mobile experiences such as High definition videos and 360-degree walk-through to increase engagement. Virtual Assistance 24X7 AI-enabled chatbots and virtual assistants with intelligence and personality will engage and interact with the potential customers, solving queries in a personalized manner. Brands can use them to add immense value to the whole customer experience and boost engagement.

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Real Estate Tech Trends The real estate industry in India, powered by digital platforms and technologies, is undergoing a major transformation since the pandemic. A large number of real estate developers are now selling properties through online portals. It is high time builders provide a holistic buying experience to their potential customers digitally to satisfy the continuously evolving customer behaviour and expectations. Digital platforms Social Media channels have opened up brilliant opportunities for brands to boost brand awareness, interact and engage with customers and maximize audience reach. At the same time, customers get the latest information and updates regarding completed, ongoing and upcoming real estate projects. A user-friendly and highly informative website can do wonders for brands as well. Customers search for details on the web using mobile devices. Quality images, property listings and complete details on the website can help in generating leads and sales. Virtual Tours & Meetings The ongoing pandemic has pushed the trend for virtual real estate tours. A virtual site visit experience centre is a solution wherein the property seekers can experience the project neighbourhood through virtual reality. It helps customers to experience project location, amenities and other conveniences virtually. Moreover, 360 degrees drone shoots, virtual 3D walk-through are other technology solutions that enhance customer experience. Tools like Virtual Sales Present is an online portal that provides complete information to the customer regarding properties. Also, it includes a direct virtual meeting at the developer’s office. Such virtual meetings in the comfort of the home can help in making better and timely real estate decisions. Advanced Analytics Tools Online portal for inventory selection and booking integrated with advanced lead nurturing automation tools and advanced analytics for tracking customer journey can help in boosting engagement and generating quality leads. In the digital age, companies more than ever before need to seamlessly combine digital marketing strategies and technology adoption to engage customers digitally. As the future looks all-things digital, it will eventually help businesses to achieve success and growth.

Website Design & Development

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Mobile Application Development

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Online Software Development

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Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

Digital Advertising: A New Era in the Advertisement Industry Nikhil Sharda, EVP- Creative & Digital Communication, Scroll Mantra

he incessant rise in the popularity of digital media and the emergence of technologies to channel it has induced various changes across the ad-tech industry. Multiple innovations in the ad-tech world have transferred the focus from traditional advertising to digital advertising, with traditional models working with digital and are rarely exclusive of each other. With the recent pandemic altering our lives into a virtual world, digital advertising has become a keystone for brands to become a part of the conversation in the online space, where an ad does not pose as something to be ‘skipped’ but watched, appreciated, and even critically reviewed. Let’s Understand it Digital Advertising Advertisements appearing while scrolling our favourite social media do catch our attention sooner or later. Not just that, some of the items in our closets are the result of these recurring and fascinating advertisements. However, even being converted from a potential customer to an actual customer, few of us know that this conversion is because our intent forms a part of the statistics that digital agencies are constantly “listening” to. And that’s the point where advertisers’ mission gets fulfilled as it aims to increase and attract its customers through their strategy.

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Nikhil Sharda has a proficiency in creative as well as digital communication and holds 17 years of experience in the industry. During his career, he has worked with companies like Frog Ideas and AdGlobal 360. During his stint there he headed campaigns for brands like Conviva, Jim Beam, Maruti Suzuki, Rajasthan Tourism, Twitter India, BSB Edge, Ministry of Consumer Affairs and European Union amongst others. His expertise lies in driving exceptional results for his clients.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

So, understanding Digital advertising is not a herculean task. It’s a targeted, data-driven strategy for reaching consumers in every stage of the buying funnel and moving them from the phase of awareness to the purchase, guiding and convincing them at every step, often working at a very granular “micro-moment” level. Shift in Media Consumption by Audience Media today works at a hyper-local level. Ads are not created to target large groups of people, rather multiple ads sets are created for multiple audience personas and behaviours, not just limited to “interest” levels. Ads now are personalized, appearing at the exact moment when we see related content, often “following’ you till you make the decision. Ads are no longer a stand alone communication but has become a part of the conversation, part of the popular culture, and is ‘served’ just at the right time in our multi-course content consumption. Advantages of Digital Advertising Digital advertising is the most effective investment that gives you measurable results. Or even shares indications, through data, if the ads are not ‘performing’ well. Helping in increasing marketing skills to all size business plans is the proven result of digital marketing. Let’s look at the numerous advantages that digital advertising holds for the brands. • Huge Audience To have an effective customer is a must for the growth of a business. And, digital advertising helps one in doing so. The strategy of the process is to target a specific group that helps in concentrated engagement, thereby, increasing the luring effect. The audience can be reached through various social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. And the number of audiences on these platforms are enough to justify its reach. • Cost- Efficient Advertising through digital media is comparatively cheaper than traditional broadcasting media. Brands have a variety of ads that offer different payment options. The budget for social media ads is entirely flexible. The ads campaigns like Pay-per-click, Facebook ads, etc., cost brands a minimal charge. The PPC ads are paid according to the number of clicks on the ads, whereas the Facebook ads already have a pre-decided budget. Hence, making the process affordable for all-budget customers. • Pick your desired Audience Practically, no other media provides an option to choose the audiences specifically to so many parameters. On the contrary, Digital Marketing enables the brands

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to pick the desired audience, giving them plenty of opportunities to narrow down the audience to choose from. For example, when an advertising agency vouches for social media ads, they can choose their audience from a parameter as narrow as the behavioural aspect. These precise options enable the advertiser to spend money only on the audience he sees potential in. • Track the Performance Advertising through Digital Marketing makes it very easy to track the results of the campaign. By deploying specific digital tools, the advertisers can keep track of the ad campaign’s performance or any advertisement at any particular moment. Being measurable at an instant creates scope for improvement in the existing campaign. In addition, the advertiser can analyse the results in short intervals and then edit to make it a major hit in the digital world. Dangers of New Media Advertising Though the new age digital advertising benefits the brands in numerous ways, the challenges present are still making effective digital ad campaigns more complicated than traditional advertising. The free access to all has put the digital players in a challenging situation to strategize their campaign in a safer, secure, and authentic way to prevent the audiences from falling for unauthorised advertisers. At the same time, the presence of numerous competitors of a single brand has become a significant task for the digital players to design a unique campaign that stands out in the eye of the customer. Furthermore, the number of users who could go online has slowed down, but at the same time, brands adapting digital advertising is pacing; this has led to a challenging situation where the amount/number of contents has become more than the actual number of audiences. So, to combat the same, the advertisers are trying to inculcate the proverb ‘less is more’ in their advertising strategies and should start focusing on quality rather than quantity. The Future of Advertising in Digital Age The future of advertising is certainly going to be dominated mainly by digital tools and techniques. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, Influencer marketing, and video commerce will further evolve and push the industry to reinvent the customer experience. We expect a bigger and better customer experience, through AI, Holograms, and in-virtual world. We expect ads that are merely passive now, to warrant customer participation and involvement. And the matrix to not just be a work of fiction.

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Digital First Magazine NORTONLIFELOCK.COM September 2021

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

How has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Digital Marketing and Public Relation Sector Navel Nazareth, Co-Founder & Content Head, Nam Solutions

Mr. Navel Nazareth who is currently 25 years old, was always passionate about writing and wanted to build a career around the same. As he was pursuing Bachelors in Mass Media, starting a career as an intern for a renowned news broadcasting company gave him the required knowledge and skill-set to understand the journalism and media industry, later after his graduation he worked for a well known newspaper and drafted stories for various beats like Lifestyle and Technology. After working there for a while, he dedicated to work as a freelancer and worked with many reputed brands and celebrities to write content for their various social media platforms, formal correspondence and website. Starting from an intern for television journalism, he is currently the co-founder of NAM Solutions and handles social media strategy, content for social media platforms, websites and for PR for all the clients.

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As people became distant from physical gathering they chose the internet and social media to be connected to each other

he COVID 19 pandemic came as a shock to all of us, but digitally speaking it was a phase of time when we realised how much we were lacking in spite of living in the 21st century. When the announcement of ‘Complete Lockdown’ was first announced, there was a havoc in hundreds of organisations as they were not at all ready to move their entire businesses digitally. While the concept of Work from Home became the only solution to these situations, many were not even aware of the resources which could be used to make the best of that time. After individuals got a little hang of how they were supposed to operate, they realised that as there is no mobility of people happening the tactics of marketing and promoting their brand through traditional mediums were not even generating 10 percent of returns to the money which was invested, hence many companies decided to stop them. This was the same time when the stakeholders realised the true potential of marketing their products and services through social

media platforms and hence there was a sudden rise seen in brands and organisations adapting digital platforms as their primary source of marketing strategy. How did brands realise the true potential of digital marketing? When it comes to traditional methods, there are many ways to place your brand and product in the market, but as we have witnessed it ourselves there isn’t a direct way to understand if our commercial has reached our target audience and how many customers have truly been influenced through their ad placement. This limitation could be completely taken care of when the companies approached digital marketing as their primary source. Through Digital marketing channels, the companies were able to keep a proper control as to who are targeting these advertisements to and at the end of their campaign they would have analytics as to how many people have seen and responded to their advertisement to make further amendments for better results. The flexibility of targeting

Digital First Magazine September 2021

to seek any media opportunity or public appearance for both celebrities and brand’s spokespersons. It was a time when there was a need for new tactics and steps became essential to keep the fans and admirers informed about their favourite brands and various personalities. Mediums such as online How did digital marketers cope up with the media portals, news applications, paparazzis accounts, and sudden trends of making Digital Marketing social media influencers played a huge role in filling that void. brands primary source of marketing? The pandemic switched personal interactions into zoom When brands were made aware of the many benefits the interviews, a pre-recorded radio interview into exchanging digital marketing industry possess, this led to a sudden spike of voice notes, a telecast on television in agencies and there came a time when into an instagram/facebook live session brands decided to dedicate their entire and a press conference into Virtual events. marketing budget on digital mediums as to Initially, there was also a time when even previously the brand which were investing journalists and media personalities had thousands, started investing in lacs of started rejecting all PR Stories as they rupees to derive the desired outcome. The wanted to only focus on news which was flexibility of promoting themselves on based on COVID 19 and the pandemic their desired platforms and to their selected situation. Once that started getting a target audience helped them in creating little better, there was again a sudden clearer content and have an noticeable drop in the Public Relations industry as impact in the response they receive though major newspaper publications and news their visits, enquiry and sales. The pandemic portals either declared to be shutting As people became distant from physical gathering they chose the internet switched personal down completely or to downsize, due to which many of the journalist had to and social media platforms to be connected interactions into either resign or were asked to leave their to each other. This directly contributed job, directly leading to the downfall of to bringing more and more accounts zoom interviews the PR industry as well. As the pandemic on social media and this made placing completely restricted distribution of advertisements easy. Initially a brand physical magazines and newspapers, it would like to stick to specific platforms was noticed that there was a substantial like Facebook and Instagram, decided to hike in consumption of content through invest in all popular and unpopular social online mediums like websites, applications, social media media sites to showcase a 360 Degree presence over the portals and streaming platforms. Through these platforms the internet. Many brands adapted the use of various social media PR industry ensured that the artist and eminent personalities campaigns where they either made people play polo on their still manage to show their presence virtually and maintain brand made template or made them participate for various their fame and recognition without risking their lives. giveaway contests, while they either invested by distributing their templates or by distributing few of their products for How did the COVID 19 Pandemic ignite the spark free, these steps surely helped them maintain brand visibility towards technological revolution? and this directly impacted in building the brand value it While struggling in the initial stage of the pandemic, everyone still possesses. realised that the temporary solution to the current situation is to adopt technological advancements and this directly led to How did the Public Relations sector adapt to the the rise of people who started using the internet. When using pandemic norms and survived? the Internet became a new-normal, it made us realise that as While Public Relations is considered to be an essential step until today the society was condemning the internet for all for building a brand’s image, it is essential to be understood its ill-practices, while not looking at what the true potential that there needs to be a perfect balance between PR and other it holds. After the realisation of how the internet has helped streams of marketing to achieve desired results. In the precompanies not only survive but flourish, which inspired a lot pandemic stage there were certain ways and tactics which were of developers that technologically we need to stand at least used to bring notability and public attention towards a brand 10 years ahead of time and thus began their journey towards or personality. Hence, when there was sudden restriction in technological revolution. even leaving our houses, initially it became nearly impossible their advertisements to their desired audience not only helped them create brand awareness, but this also helped in amplifying their sales and brand notability.

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Digital First Magazine Higher Education Digest September 2021 October 2020

EXPERT OPINION

What Brands Need to Know while Riding the Wave of Meme Marketing Rahul Gandhi, Co-Founder, Option Designs

s the world rides on the favorable wave of meme marketing, brands have become perceptive enough to take leverage of the ongoing trend. Where memes emerged as a means of circulating trending topics and staying connected throughout the globe with the help of humorous content like image, video, text, stickers, emojis, GIFs etc., brands being agile enough to perceive the underlying potential of it, soon devised and dived into a new genre of social media marketing, spearheading the fashion of meme marketing. Considering that every day millennials invest more than 200 minutes online, there lies a fair chance with the brands to enjoy the liberty of targeting wide range of audience and drawing a line of engagement which is personal to them. With Indian market accounting for 34.33% youth, leading the highest number of younger population in the world, the country serves as a promising market for exercising intensive brand visibility via the meme marketing tool. The Indian terrain offering diverse culture in perfect confluence with the highly rich heritage; being open to the rising pop culture, renders just the right mix for meme marketing to explore a wide gamut of content. Hence, in addition to the conventional advantages of meme marketing, the brands targeting the country also enjoy the additional benefit of large

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Rahul Gandhi, the CoFounder of Option Designs - a purpose driven agency, comes with 15+ years of experience, giving him a deep understanding of the industry. Being overwhelmed with the zeal to serve the clients, Mr. Gandhi unleashes his true potential as a great relationship builder where his clients are placed at topmost rung of the aspirational ladder. Owing to his perseverance and determination, Mr. Rahul has very meticulously worked for top notch brands like Haldiram, Amway, Barista, Bodycare, JBL, Coolwinks, etc. It is his passion that motivated him to always deliver quality by breaking the shackles of treating client just as an entity and actually understanding their purpose that he single headedly managed more than 100 brands.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

population. As this emerging form of marketing has the ability to reach out to large consumer base, the brands can devise a planned engagement strategy to give a personalized touch to maintain the connection with the audience.

The Indian terrain offering diverse culture in perfect confluence with the highly rich heritage

As the statistics suggest, by employing meme marketing, businesses experience 60 percent organic engagement where the reach to the audience has multiplied 10 folds as compared to the conventional marketing strategy. Therefore, by deploying the trending marketing style, brands can strengthen the consumer engagement that is quite helpful in acquiring new consumer base but at the same time creates a loyal community of customers. This immensely changed the marketing landscape that reduced the unwanted pressure on the brands. It proved to be economical both in terms of money as well as the labor that was invested into devising the overall strategy. All the factors cumulatively helped businesses get extensive exposure, likewise, opening doors for enhanced brand awareness. However, being mesmerized by the lucrative benefits of the viral form of marketing, the businesses must not be

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blinded to overlook the crucial intricacies which remain uncompromised. Considering that memes ride and enjoy the tide of the viral wave, there is high probability that the consumers are perennially flooded with the same meme again and again. Likewise, with other brands also being a part of the race, the memes lose the tag of exclusivity attached to them. To break free from the monotony, the brands must invoke their creative muse to give the unique twist to the already existing memes, making it stand apart from the crowd. Not compromising on the subtlety of the humor, a personalized touch elevates the quality of the meme. The content must be strategically devised donning the ability to trigger and amplify the human emotions. Likewise, by offering relatable content the brands increase the possibility of establishing a viable bond with the audience. This plays an instrumental role in converting the consumers into loyal customers, sharing the same set of sentiments with the brand. Hence, for the effective reception of meme marketing, it is essential that brands understand the target audience. Deciphering their behavior not just helps brands to stay updated with the continually changing market trends but also gives an insight into their aspirations, requirements and demands. By knowing the audience, brands can deliver the right ingredient to suit their cultural significance, ultimately promising the success of this form of moment marketing stint. An intensive research must be carried out to recognize the identifiable traits of the meme, be it in the form of quality, pattern or structure. Playing at the moment, striking at the right time is the key to successful meme marketing. Here, research comes to the rescue in timing the circulation of the meme. Additionally, the brands must not get too much carried away with the wave of meme; rather they must be conscious and sensitive enough to not be promotional and offer content that aligns with the sentiments of the audience. They must have the clarity that the marketing tool is not for selling but for creating awareness about the brand. Hence, having a panoramic view of the situation is essential to understand the minuscule intricacies of the marketing. Always looking at the promising side of meme marketing can be delusional for the company. Businesses must thoroughly take into account the various forms of loopholes the marketing style offers. This will help in making a well-planned, wise meme marketing strategy that will guaranteedly reap the fruits of the efforts.

Digital First Magazine Higher Education Digest September 2021 December October January 2019 2020

LEADERS’S INSIGHTS

Mastering Digital Marketing with Translation and Localization Raghav Kansal, CEO, ET Medialabs

Raghav Kansal is the CEO of ET Medialabs, a company that specializes in performancedriven Online Advertising (Facebook Ads, Search Ads, Display ads etc) & analytics. He also works directly with many companies as a Consultant to help them with their Digital Marketing Strategy and Roadmap.

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In today’s day, robust globalization has opened up several business opportunities for enterprises looking for growth

t has been almost two years since the Covid pandemic took the world by surprise and forced the masses into precautionary confinements. While it was initially laughed off by most as a month-long holiday, everyone has realized the seriousness of the circumstance in the last two years. With the global population stuck at their homes, the ways of the world have witnessed a revolution. Everything from education and employment to shopping and entertainment has switched to online mediums, more out of necessity than choice, in these two years. This revolution has not left the fields of commerce and marketing untouched either. While local, offline marketing is still a useful tool for a business, the surge in importance and use of digital marketing in recent times cannot be overlooked. Digital marketing, as the name suggests, is the online marketing of goods and services. Even though online shopping and digital marketing have been growing in the world for the past decade, it has attracted more people and growth than ever before in the pandemic era. The knowledge of digital marketing has now become a sought-after skill in the business

and employment sectors worldwide. With this increased popularity of the concept, digital marketing too has evolved to become more comprehensive. Two principal ways in which digital marketing has developed to become more suitable to the world population are translation and localization. Meaning and scope of Translation and Localization As is commonly known, translation means the interpretation of one language in another. Localization, on the other hand, means making something idiomatic as per the region. While translation pertains to the language, localization is much broader in horizon and covers the entire culture of a place. Thus, localization extends to include the concept of translation among other things. Importance of translation and localization in Digital marketing Digital marketing is a key aspect of global marketing. Most of the businesses succeeding internationally, are doing

Digital First Magazine September 2021

so through digital platforms. However, it is not without its challenges. In today’s day, robust globalization has opened up several business opportunities for enterprises looking for growth. However, it has also made various choices available for the consumers who now have higher standards. Thus, it has become necessary for businesses to go the extra mile to win over and retain customers. It has therefore become crucial

Everything from education and employment to shopping and entertainment has switched to online mediums, more out of necessity than choice

for companies to consistently move ahead and develop skills in the field. That is where translation and localization come in handy. Translation and localization work closely together to enhance the familiarity of the masses with the business. A website that takes into account the linguistic and cultural norms of a region creates a very positive and trustworthy image in the mind of its customers of that region. It is a

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psychological fact that humans appreciate the feeling of being made to feel special. By making the website content available in a local language through translation, businesses can communicate their commitment to customer service in a non-verbal way. Additionally, the availability of websites in regional languages allows businesses to reach a wider base of customers who may not be able to benefit from the products and services of the business in the past due to language barriers. Localization too acts the same way. By making minor adjustments to suit the cultural norms, companies can appeal to the exact set of requirements of the natives of a region. This technique can spell out a strong and trustworthy foundation of a company in an otherwise foreign land. A popular example of the use of this technique can be observed in the working of an E-commerce giant in India. This famous E-commerce website has made a spectacular mark for itself in the gigantic market of India by making the website content available in six local Indian languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Telugu. It has also localized its products and advertisements to suit its Indian customer base. Every product from clothes to home decor is made available as per Indian cultural norms. The website also displays the prices in the Indian currency rupee. All such minor alterations have made the leading e-commerce platform the go-to shopping destination for Indians for all their needs. This same technique can be used by other businesses using digital marketing to gain momentum in foreign areas. Summing up With the world turning towards digitalization at a rapid speed, it is safe to say that digital marketing is the most promising marketing trend of the future. However, simply adopting digital marketing is not enough for efficient online marketing of the business. It is important for businesses to make an active effort to improve and upgrade their marketing practices to stay at par with the norms of the day. Translation and localization have come forward to be popular and helpful trends in the field of digital marketing in recent times. As the world trade barriers get dissolved and technology reaches all, it is important to have a USP that appeals to the regional and native audiences. Making services and products and their information available in regional and local languages can spell a deep-rooted foundation of trust for a business in that area. Also, as a business tailors itself to be in alignment with the cultural norms of a place through localization, it is likely to gain the acceptance and confidence of the people.

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EXPERT OPINION

Digital Marketing Trends to Watch Out For Sana Jhamb, Director - PR & Business Development, Epistle Communications

midst the age of perpetual digital evolution and the postpandemic challenges, Marketers are too caught up in the race with new marketing technologies. In the vicious cycle of getting and delivering work, we are often unable to step back or tap into our business strengths, while optimising them towards a path of growth and success. A lot has changed in marketing trends; so we combed through data and reports to compile a list of 2021 marketing trends to keep an eye on. Technology With technology seeping into all aspects of our life through the palm of our hands, the fifth generation of mobile technology, also known as 5G, is perhaps one of the essential technologies in 2020 for a world obsessed with smartphones. This upgrade will usher in a new era of digital communications, with repercussions felt across the board. Simultaneously, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are practical tools. The end-customer has vivid experiences from these technologies, because they connect with them on an emotional and tactile level. Brands are delivering tours and developing interactive 3D models for users by building AR and VR experiences.

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A design enthusiast who appreciates impactful minimalism. In the process of reimagining spaces and varied aspects of design through her experience, Sana is a believer in the accessibility of design as an essential element.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

Content: Transparency And Sincerity Refined postings and managed aesthetics may decline as consumers demand greater authenticity from the brands they follow. Consumers desire a behind-the-scenes look at firms and a sense of human connection. 90% of consumers are eager to reward a brand with a purchase if it is legitimate. Design your content to go digital; adapt it to suit the varied platforms available online. The information exchange both locally and globally is happening at a rate which is hard to fathom. In this era, not taking advantage of this window to both learn as well as share knowledge, is almost futile.

With technology seeping into all aspects of our life through the palm of our hands, 5G is one of the essential technologies in 2020 Dynamic Content: Video Marketing For the next 5 years, video marketing is unlikely to fall out of favour. This is because it is the most popular method for buyers to learn about new products. This isn’t restricted to YouTube; video marketing can be used in various ways to increase engagement. User-Generated Content User-generated content (UGC) is frequently in the form of spoken video testimonials. Real or fictitious consumers speak directly to the camera and expand on product benefits or demonstrate how to use the product. This is frequently used in B2C businesses.

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Visual Search When a user uploads a photo to search, visual search makes it easier to get particular results. It elevates the user experience to new heights. Marketers can thus capitalize on the visual search trend to gain an advantage over their competition. Social Messaging While certain social media platforms are best for communicating with friends and family, others, like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, are increasingly being used by company owners for networking. Marketers will almost certainly employ these social messaging platforms in the next few years to help them communicate with their target audiences while also networking with other businesses. Brand Hygiene Particularly in a post-pandemic world, Online presence is a must. Even brands who had not considered digital presence have now moved to websites, e-commerce and even digital launches and E- fashion shows. With this trend to go digital, Basic digital hygiene is of utmost importance. SEO, Websites, Collaterals, Google Analytics are all tools that one cannot do without. In today’s plethora of information overload, finding domain-specific news becomes a challenge. Moreover, in an era, where magazines, e-zines, blogs and newsletters are increasing in numbers by the day, the real challenge is to distinguish between collateral that is primarily market-driven from what is authentic, meaningful and genuinely adds value/ information to the world of mass news. Pick your battles, or rather tools, wisely: Going online has the merits that extend just beyond connecting to large audiences. Picking and investing in the right tools is what makes all the difference. Sometimes an online mailer helps facilitates information flow, knowledgesharing, brand recall, and promoting visibility whilst establishing the bridge between internal and external communications. In another situation, it could be only Instagram or only LinkedIn that would help in building thought leadership for the brand, and encouraging sales simultaneously. Pick tools that are cost-effective and not resource-intensive.

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Digital First Magazine September 2021

EXPERT OPINION

Silently, Making A Loud Statement: Stealth Marketing Sahil Chopra, Founder & CEO- iCubesWire

e interact with myriad forms of marketing gimmicks that often manage to persuade us, consumers, into buying exactly what brands want us to. Their product offering is so lucrative and innovative that they tend to create unforeseen awareness for their product, and even before we know it, it piques our interest, and with due consideration, we end up playing into their hands. This is the result of brands leveraging effective organic methods of creating brand awareness. However, we often fail to realize how a simple tactic like word-of-mouth marketing can make complicated paid advertising a run for their money. These days, brands are all about creating a comprehensive and robust digital presence across platforms, and what better way to kick-start with a compelling stealth marketing strategy that establishes enough buzz for people to pin your brand in their consciousness. Stealth marketing is a subset of Guerrilla Marketing, wherein consumers are introduced and re-introduced to a product in a way it was not initially intended for, thereby trapping the consumers by disabling their opportunity to opt-out of it. This gamble of artifice has enabled brands to use ethically dubious methods to entice their customers into buying their products.

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Mr. Sahil Chopra is the Founder & CEO of iCubesWire, a digital marketing solutions company, which helps brands, acquire and retain clients through web, mobile, email, video, rich media, and more. He is a young entrepreneur with a vision to create a digital marketing ecosystem with performance marketing operations, providing a robust platform to advertisers and publishers where they mutually grow and maintain long-term relationships.

Digital First Magazine September 2021

This form of marketing is highly advisable for small businesses on a small budget to generate an initial buzz. Brands are no longer stuck up with key opinion leaders or brand connoisseurs that validate the relevance of their product; instead, they are looping in key opinion customers who engage with their product every day. They are the key to compel consumers to make favorable buying decisions.

Brands are all about creating a comprehensive and robust digital presence across platforms Stealth marketing is running owing to the presence of bored customers. As a result, companies are subtly placing their brands in a way that is not only clever but also unaggressive and does not push their brand to their customers’ faces, only to end up being canceled. Undercover marketing enables you to promote your brand without advertising. It is a cost-effective method that avoids incurring unnecessary expenses. Brands have also managed to juxtapose ideas and concepts to give consumers a feeling of owning the product without actually purchasing it and ultimately creating a subconscious need to own it. Product Placement is another excellent example of stealth marketing, often used by brands to show influencers use their product in movies or music videos to promote it ingeniously. For instance, Starbucks appeared in a fantasy period drama like Game Of Thrones or Fed Ex used in Cast Away. When used wittily, brands can create an impact with the perfect placement. Indian brands are successfully incorporating themselves in the silver screen, be it Make my Trip’s

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cameo in Yeh Jawani hai Deewani during their trip or Mountain Dew displayed in a scene in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara showcasing adventure sports and overcoming fear. Both the brands fall in line with the brand’s ideology and the context shown in the movie. Some brands also use negative stealth marketing, like Wilmore Funeral Homes with its Don’t Get Vaccinated Campaign Banners and another brand using ketchup sachets as a means to raise awareness about landmines. Such campaigns create a special place in the market as they add credibility to the brand and the company’s consumer-related social responsibilities. Stealth marketing help brands establish the target audience or a segment of the targeted demography most interested in their product. It gives brands the ability to sort out ideal customer profiles more suited to their product type. It also opens the door to the target audience that serves the highest potential for buying the product and is more likely to take the bait. However, stealth marketing has its reservations with ideas that can backfire and quickly escalate things negatively. It may come at an easy price however, if not executed properly, it can make you pay a heavy fee for it. Certain stealth marketing tactics often prove to be unethical and forbidden by law, and brands should make a conscious effort to remain within this ethical barrier and not break the code of decency. Like Sony’s online video campaign promoting its PSP console, one of the enthusiastic fans from the video turned out to be a paid actor, thereby dubbing the customers, causing much damage to Sony’s reputation. Why do brands turn to stealth marketing in the hopes of creating an impact? It’s because of the abundance of information available for every type of product in the market. When there is more information than we can process, we tend we pay less attention. The less attention we pay, the more of these brands want to deliver and before there is enough time for recovery, this spiral meets its ultimate end. However, stealth marketing of a doubleedged sword it may seem to be, can help brands take a short circuit in this long-term process. However, it cannot be denied that stealth marketing is leading the next wave of digital marketing because using marketing stunts and gimmicks to gain attention is much easier than creating compelling, authentic and relevant brand experiences in the long term. In the digital spectrum of the world, marketing is modifying, upscaling and degrading with each passing second; hence brands use every trick in their bag to keep their customer engaged.

Digital First Magazine Higher September Education Digest 2021 October 2020

DigitalEducation First Magazine Digest 92 Higher September 2021 October 2020