Marketing is the business of promoting and selling products or services, including marketing research and advertising. It refers to activities that a company undertakes to promote the buying or selling a product or service. It is important to a business as it informs the customers about the services and goods the business has to offer.
Almost everything in the world has shifted to the online space; technology has taken over. Things are not as they were some two decades ago. We have seen how the transport system has been taken over by electric cars and trains; nowadays people do not even have to go to the office to perform their tasks as they can do that online. The change of things from offline to online has also been seen in marketing endeavors.
In the past, when someone mentioned marketing, you would think of a smartly dressed guy or lady carrying a briefcase and a few samples of the product. They would be moving from door to door trying to find customers for the products. Other ancient marketing ways included human voice whereby the person with the loudest voice would attract more customers by raising their voices as they advertise the products and services.
Use of loud cars that would do commercials of the products not forgetting the use of telephone where people would be called and be encouraged to buy a certain product was also rampant. Marketers used large yellow papers that would have information about the product or service which would be used to capture the customer’s attention.
Unfortunately, such advertising methods are no longer effective in the world we live in today. Businesses now have to adapt to the changes to remain in business.
The following are some of the ways that marketing has changed over the past 10yrs:
Social media
In the past, customers used to call the organization to get the information they want regarding the products but nowadays, businesses have Facebook pages, Instagram and Twitter. Customers can get all the information they require instantly, ask questions or even post comments after using the product or service. Businesses also use social media to post photos and videos. Through this, they can communicate directly to their consumers. It is also important to be attentive to what is being said about your brand, as this will play a big role when consumers are making buying, decisions.
Social media has proven to be a very effective tool in marketing, especially in the field of advertising through the following ways;
- The content has become more persuasive and captures the total attention of the consumers, both visual and audio, as brands compete against each other.
- Nowadays, content is more specific to the users.
Increase in video marketing
It is through applications such as You-Tube and snap chat where one can stream videos anytime. Businesses post their videos where customers get to watch them and get to know what is being offered for sale. Video marketing is great as it reaches a bigger number of prospects.
Blogging informative
Ten years ago, businesses used blogging to promote what the business offered, but today, blogs have become more useful due to articles that answer various questions and concerns. Today’s blogs are quite different from what they used to be a decade ago. They answer more and more specific questions on what concerns the customers and their products.
Heavier design role
It is said that the first impression matters; this means that people are excited about what they see. When designing a page on your site, you need the help of reputable tools that create stunning graphics that interest customers. It will make it linger more in people’s minds, making them easily remember your products. It also means being updated with the changes in the trends.
Storytelling
Content delivery has evolved from what it was 10 years ago. Marketing by telling a story that connects to what your business offers brings marketing to another level. People love connecting with brands first and this is where they will purchase their products. They will not buy products from just any random business without a connection. Your story has to push people to learn and discover more about your company and products.
Ecommerce
Ten years ago, online shopping was rare; nowadays, people can shop from almost every place worldwide. Customers spend most of their time online with their phones; they can visit various shops and shop without having to move from one place to another.
With more technological advances, marketing trends will keep changing, and so will the customers’ behavior. It also means that in future you can expect marketing to be something different from what it is now. As mentioned earlier, it is advisable to always do some research and stay up to date with the trends and changes in the market.
