Who has the time for digital marketing transformation?
In digital marketing transformation as in other areas of life there often seems to be a disconnect between what makes strategic sense and what is realistically doable. Time and money are the most sought-after resources and as such are the most scarce. Just think of your own life and all those things that you “always wanted to do” or you are waiting to do once “I’m out of college” or “My kids are out of the house” or “I’m retired”.
The business world is no different – Chaffey and Chappell demonstrate this fact yet again in their report Managing Digital Marketing in 2020. In this research they give plenty of actionable advice to help your business. But with time and money stretched so thinly I want to know: how important is digital marketing transformation anyway?
Do you even benchmark?
Chaffey’s and Chappell’s aim is to provide the necessary data for businesses to benchmark their own marketing efforts in order to know if they are on the right track, and what to do if they are not. However – I am sure you would agree with me when I say this is easier said than done. When was the last time you benchmarked your skills and abilities against others in your industry to plan out your personal development? Let me answer that for you: never.
The business world is no different. In fact, over a third of the companies questioned had no intention to evaluate and plan in order to transform their digital marketing. More shockingly, this number has barely decreased since Chaffey did the same study in 2015. But why is it that there is so much resistance to digital marketing transformation?
Digital shmigital!
Did the idea of benchmarking your skills against your peers seem ludicrous to you? I suppose businesses feel the same way about digital marketing transformation. Analysis, strategy, transformation… these are big concepts that require time and perhaps some expertise. Talking about digital marketing transformation sounds intimidating and costly in terms of time and money. It is likely decision makers hear “digital marketing transformation” and – like you – think it is ludicrous to suggest such a thorough process for something as ‘simple’ as digital marketing.
Digital Marketing Transformation – is it really ludicrous?
Imagine – after having benchmarked yourself against your peers – sitting in your boss’ office and telling him about your skills which put you in the top 3% of workers with your job title. Based on this you ask for a raise to reflect your level of expertise. Imagine your boss struggling to find reasons to deny your request, especially in light of the fact that with your expertise you can have your pick of jobs. Suddenly it doesn’t seem so ludicrous anymore, does it now? A little bit of time spent evaluating and planning for a possibility of more money straight into your pocket.
The scenario may be different, but the effect is the same for digital marketing transformation. Think of email and content marketing or SEO: they are ways to market your business with a high ROI as they don’t cost you any money. They do however require time spent analysing and planning your content to make sure it is SEO friendly and interesting.
How important is digital marketing transformation anyway?
So let’s get back to this question we started with. How important is digital marketing transformation?
On average, people spend about 2 hours a day online between mobile phone and desktop. Attention spans have decreased from 12 seconds among millennials to 8 seconds among Gen Z. Every major production company now has their own on-demand streaming service. Finally, in 2021 in the US the share of people using other devices while watching TV had reached 70%.
What all these statistics show us is a future which is more digital and where people are looking for quick answers or solutions to their specific questions or problems. This is where digital marketing comes in. There are an increasing number of tools to deliver your message to potential customers in the moment it is relevant to them. But it gets even better! With all the analytics tools available, you have an unlimited amount of data at your fingertips.
At this point the question is not whether or not digital marketing transformation is important for your business, but which steps you can take to kick-start your digital marketing transformation today! With this in mind, head on over to SmartInsights where you can download your copy of the Managing Digital Marketing in 2020 research report.
Before you leave, let me know in the comments which areas of digital marketing transformation your business is struggling with the most. Also be sure to check out our blog post on the best practices toolkit for the digital travel marketer.
Before you leave, let me know in the comments which areas of digital marketing transformation your business is struggling with the most.
Resources:
Chaffey, D. & Chapell, M. 2020. Managing Digital Marketing in 2020. London, UK: SmartInstights.
Chaffey, D. 2015. Managing Digital Marketing in 2015. London, UK: SmartInstights.
Skift 2017. Mobile and the Next Wave of the Digital Disruption: A Look at the Future of Traveler Experience.
Stoll, J. 2022. Share of People Using Other Devices While Watching TV Worldwide in 2021, by Country. Statista.