EMERGING DIGITAL MARKETING TECH: STAYING WELL-ROUNDED IN THE RACE

Commercial Real Estate

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Digital

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Commercial Real Estate

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Digital

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3 min read

Marketers seek to balance the ‘wow factor’ in today’s digital world with the tried and true principles of effective customer engagement.

Digital marketing is changing at the speed of technology. Advancements such as generative AI, virtual and augmented reality, social commerce and others have brought about a revolution in how businesses interact with customers and how personalized and immersive marketing experiences can be. By understanding and maximizing these movements, brands can elevate customer engagement and increase conversions.

Noting there isn’t a single solution that covers all scenarios, Newsweek focused on the following emerging digital trends that can help propel marketers ahead of the competition.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Think of the typical car dealership glossy brochure. Now think of being able to virtually step inside your dream car model – from the comfort of your own home – and inspect its features and even do a simulated test drive. Which marketing experience will resonate more? The one with more vroom (and VR room!).

Marketers know the more captivating and immersive the experience the better, and virtual and augmented reality are revolutionizing the way to achieve that with customers. “Although it may seem distant for small businesses, global brands are already capitalizing on these opportunities,” writes CEO and branding expert Erica McMillan.

Generative AI

Marketers should already know about generative AI’s various timesaving capabilities, from automating daily tasks to generating ads or content. But McMillan, noting the “significant shifts in consumer behavior” in this area, raises the possible concern of the target audience using the same tools, like ChatGPT, thus pulling from the same Internet-scoured data.

“Businesses and marketers must elevate their content strategies
 [by] providing unique perspectives and expert insights that cannot be easily duplicated by generative AI tools,” she wrote. “The focus should shift towards delivering value-added information that's derived from hands-on experience in the subject.”

Social Commerce

Integrating shopping with social interactions on social media platforms offers much greater connection than traditional online methods, including sales-only siloes elsewhere in the e-commerce realm. Brands can leverage captivating photos and engaging videos like always but with the personal, emotional and quite valuable stamp of approval from one’s social media followers, i.e., friends. One marketing guru noted that 90% of folks trust peers on social networks while only 15 to 18% trust brands.

The interactive nature of social commerce is so important. By allowing customers to ask questions and otherwise engage with brands, a powerful connection is made where customers build confidence in purchase decisions while companies glean valuable insights to better understand the market.

“Going for the home run, so to speak, with AI or virtual/augmented reality tools is important because as marketers we should strive for what we call ‘limitless possibilities’ with the brand experience,” said Vince Vitti, infinitee’s VP, Business Development. “But given engagement realities like 72% of consumers having used a voice assistant, let’s also make sure our singles hitters – voice search, chatbots, live chat and messaging apps – are aligned and primed to keep people engaged and enjoying their customer journey with the brand.”