The internet has totally revolutionized the way that business is conducted. While there are plenty of companies that still rely on old-school marketing tactics like paper advertisements or television commercials, digital fronts are the way of the future. Consumers respond poorly to traditional ads these days and marketing on the internet is a process that is always changing. Naturally, this new paradigm has also caused a change in how business is conducted in certain industries. From healthcare to entertainment to finance, it seems like digital marketing has left a mark everywhere.
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Some industries have benefited more than others from digital marketing strategies. Take a moment to review these points and learn more about which industries are on the rise thanks to new marketing trends.
Healthcare
Though it has long been considered one of the most important industries related to mankind’s existence, healthcare is perhaps the most convoluted and complex of all industries. Since a person’s health is vital and not at all related to the idea of commerce as it is understood, wellness has been commodified over the decades. From hospitals to health companies, there are many shady organizations that have taken advantage of a person’s natural desire to stay healthy and live a long and fulfilling life. This said, digital marketing has helped those committed to positive changes in the healthcare industry find audiences.
In the past, consumers opted for health and wellness brands based on what ads they would see on TV or by word of mouth. The internet has made it possible for people to actually conduct their own research and learn about the pros and cons of making certain changes to diet or lifestyle. Digital marketers encourage health brands to include scientific data in their promotional materials when possible. This cultivates a sense of trust with the brand. Since healthcare has been a hot topic in 2020, it makes sense that it is an industry to focus on digital marketing.
Finance
Another area that has seen some impressive changes thanks to the rise of digital marketing techniques in finance. Whether a consumer is looking to buy a car, purchase a home, or open a business, financing is typically required to bring dreams to life. In the past, most consumers were only aware of the loans that were made available to them through larger lending institutions like banks and credit unions. By marketing online, alternative lenders can easily connect with interested parties to offer more appealing options.
From having an easier time navigating home mortgage rates to monitoring personal credit scores, the average consumer tends to have a lot of questions and concerns when it comes to finance. Digital marketing has made it easy for brands and lenders to provide useful information via platforms like Facebook or Twitter. By educating an audience on different financial responsibilities and how to best handle them, lenders can cultivate relationships with consumers. This, in turn, helps the financial institutions thrive alongside the consumers they are lending funds to.
Communication
It is crazy to think about a time before smartphones. Still, it was only about ten years ago that iPhones and Androids started to take over other models as the top choices for communication. Naturally, the rise in popularity of smart devices has been made entirely possible thanks to the power of digital marketing mediums. When a person already owns a phone by a particular brand, he or she will be automatically kept informed of the latest news related to the company and its products. This makes marketing less of a challenge and more of a game.
Phones are only one aspect of the communication industry that have been directly changed by the advent of digital marketing strategies. Telecommunication is on the rise and 2020 has also seen a huge surge in programs like iChat, Zoom, and Skype. With quarantine keeping many people trapped indoors for most of the year, these applications for communication became the most vital resources for conducting meetings, continuing business, providing education to students, and connecting with friends and family. If you work in any type of field related to communication, digital marketing should be a key component in all of your strategies.
Entertainment
Streaming technology came about quite suddenly. When Netflix overtook Blockbuster in terms of popularity, it was only a matter of time before other services came along. Within the last decade, a handful of possible options for streaming has fast become more than the average person can keep track of. From Hulu to HBO Go to Disney+, there are endless ways to stay entertained. Of course, digital marketing is the main way that most of these services advertise their shows and films.
It isn’t just streaming services that digital marketing techniques have changed. Entertainment is much less involved in many ways these days. While previous generations would sit down to episodic television programs that varied in length from 30 minutes to an hour, younger audiences are used to bite-sized entertainment. The popularity of TikTok alone shows that it does not take much to keep people engaged and entertained for hours and hours on end.
Technology
This might seem like a given, but technology has also benefited exponentially from the birth of digital marketing. New devices, programs, and accessories related to gadgets are released every other day. By relying on modern marketing techniques like social media posts and email blasts to inform consumers about the newest features of products about to be launched, you can create a buzz that keeps people intrigued by your brand at all times. It is how brands like Apple have been able to maintain popularity for so long: always keep the audience wanting more.
Digital marketing has changed plenty of industries and it doesn’t seem like the trends are going to slow down any time soon. If you own a business, now is the perfect time to think about how you can start incorporating digital strategies into your campaigns. Pay attention to the latest trends that are sweeping your particular industry. The more you keep your ear to the ground, the easier it will be for you to put together a plan that yields impressive results.