By Amit Ahuja
Covid-19 has changed the way businesses, both large and small, function. For a few of them, it’s still a dream to get back on track. The pandemic has caused an inevitable surge in the uptake of digital. In this sombre scenario, some businesses collapsed, while others thrived. As a result, more and more brands are now choosing to use digital media platforms to grow their business and reach a wider audience.
Brands like Beardo, Mamaearth, mCaffeine and Noise have surpassed high revenue targets in these times. They have successfully understood the significance of building a strong social media presence amidst the pandemic. It has become an integral part of every brand’s marketing. Brands have realised how important it is to be well presented on all digital platforms.
Customer first
‘Customer first’ is the key approach any brand should follow if they want to create a strong presence online. Given the constant shift in trends, it is crucial for brands to understand what their target audience is seeking to purchase. Innovating and developing products that your consumer requires is vital. Simply prioritising good customer service and being available online to respond to customer queries establishes steadfastness and influences their purchase decisions.
Given the short attention span that consumers have these days, brand consistency is key when it comes to showcasing your brand on any digital platform, be it Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram or Facebook. These platforms help in gaining brand recognition. Since customers today are overexposed to digital content, it has become challenging to keep them glued to a page for more than 30 seconds. This makes it imperative for a brand to carefully curate content that is engaging and, at the same time, leads to some call for action — conversions. Digital media has a benefit over traditional media as it allows a brand to simultaneously increase the reach and target a wider audience at a faster pace.
With brands going digital, customers are often restricted from seeing, touching and feeling the products physically. Hence, brands must plan their digital calendar in a way that gives the target audience a feel of what they have to offer. Digital media enables brands to share their journey with their potential audience on a limited budget. Brands ought to understand digital insights by using social media measurement, and use direct messaging to correspond with their audiences.
Online advantage
At a stage like this, where every brand is opting for the digital route, one must analyse and understand competitors’ PR, social media, content, brand development and engagement strategies. Specialised tools help in gathering these insights very easily.
A D2C digital-first brand has the liberty of performing their tasks without any delay and with utmost efficiency. Brands directly reach out to the end user without routing their communication via a source which could lead to extra cost and resources. Based on the brand category, the price point, affordability and revenue generation can be decided. With digital shopping now on the rise, the end user is always enticed by attractive deals like free shipping and promo codes. To sustain all these costs, the brand has to price its products while keeping in mind its USPs and competitors’ prices. Furthermore, when it comes to logistics, having a shipment partner that provides faster deliveries is key. An orderly delivery system is a factor that stays with the customer and helps in ensuring a five-star buying experience.
Positive feedback helps brands build their credibility. It attracts customers, investors, partnerships and employees. Thus, gaining more visibility and trust just by being available online.
The author is co-founder, Mikami India
