That digital is in most major markets now one of the top 2 or 3 (along with press and TV) marketing mediums, if not the no. 1 medium, is a fact. Ad spend figures published by respected ad industry sources, all indicate so.
What is less understood are the very many reasons why digital is taking over advertising. Here is our take. We list ten possible factors.
1. REACH
More people can be reached today via digital than by any other platform.
As per the latest Internet Trends report, over half the world’s population is online.
2. ENGAGEMENT
Digital is the one medium where consumer engagement in the form of enquiries, feedback and social forwards is possible. The most important type of engagement are enquiries or leads; these are of great importance for many, though not all businesses.
3. IMPACT
Many more creative formats and creative unit sizes are available for use than are available in other media.
4. FLEXIBILITY
It is possible to start, stop, pause, restructure and monitor digital campaigns much more easily than campaigns of other media.
5. VERSATILITY
Campaigns can be set up and run optimally for any one of several marketing objectives: awareness, reach, consideration, leads, calls, sales & store visits.
6. TARGETING
The medium has phenomenal targeting capabilities. Geographic, demographic, psychographic, behavioural and content-based targeting are all possible. The width of options exceeds that available for print and other media, including we believe for TV.
7. SALES
Digital is almost the only medium where sales can directly happen (E-commerce websites). TV shopping channels are one of the very few (though less popular) alternate options.
8. MEASURABILITY
Just about everything done by consumers online is measurable. And this data is availability near instantly and is fairly granular, allowing detailed analysis.
9. AI-LED
Digital has begun actively leveraging machine learning / artificial intelligence. For example, Google, which is a leader in this field, has over the last year or so made good use of it’s expertise in enhancing the capabilities of it’s own Google Ads.
10. COST
Digital is a medium known to incur lower absolute costs vis-a-vis press and TV.
These then are our top 10 reasons why digital is every marketer’s definitive, must-use medium. If we were to add an eleventh reason, it would be that the medium has now become the most talked about and the most influential, among people who matter.
