MGT1021

Digital and Social Media

Marketing

Sudheer Muhammed KM
Assistant Professor
VIT Business School (VITBS)
VIT Chennai
 Digital Marketing
Communication mix
 Digital Communication Mix

• Aims at designing the specific message to be

targeted to chosen audience, the format and
manner in which the marketer would want to
receive it.
Benefits of combining technology
& communication
• Knowledge of customer preferences
• Communication on preferred channels
• Personalization based on prior brand interactions
• Promotions based on real-time funnel activity
• Converting from mailing list to a prospect
• Encouraging the prospect to become a lead
• Converting from lead to purchase
• Retargeting to customers who did not buy
 Elements of Marketing
Communication
• What elements the company wants it customers to
remember & How it would create the brand image
• DRIP MODEL – Chris Fill
• Differentiate : from competitors
• Reinforce : reminding people of their interactions with
the brand and providing reassurance that the brand
works better than any other
• Inform : making potential customers aware of the
offerings
• Persuade : enticing the customers to buy
 Steps to Creating Marketing
Communications Strategy
1. Researching perceptions to present communication efforts
2. Setting the overall communication/positioning objectives :
awareness, trial and repeat purchase, after image, frequency
and variety of use, promotional incentives
3. Identifying target audiences
4. Detailed primary and secondary communication channels
5. Developing the communication message/creative plan for
each channel
6. Executing the communication strategy : 1) above the media
line, 2) below the line media & 3) through the line media
7. Evaluate and refine communication strategy on an ongoing
basis
Criteria for Judging communication
strategy (4C criteria)
• Cost : comparison of campaign costs & wastage
involved
• Clout : campaign’s reach quality (the no. of people
it can impact)
• Credibility : trust factor in terms of content and
medium
• Control : control marketers have to target and
ability to adjust messages to suit individuals
Developing Communication Messaging
1. Message Content : what to say
• Product presence
• Brand image & reputation handling
2. Message Structure : How to say it logically?
• Cognitive/affective/behavioral
• Brand voice – depicting the personality element of the brand
• Message tone
• Character/persona – friendly, warm, inspiring, playful,
authoritative
• Tone – personal, humble, clinical, honest, direct, scientific
• Language – complex, savvy, insider, serious, simple, fun,
whimsical
• Purpose – engage, educate, inform, enable, entertain, sell,
amplify
• Message framing : positive manner (product’s
benefits) or negative manner ( to induce fear) e.g.
Need to use helmets

• Order effects :
• the first and last messages are more likely to be seen
and retained than those in between
• Listing of product attributes also matters as consumers
have less time to scan through them
3. Message format : how the message will be shared?
• Taking a decision on method of presentation of the
message
• Word usage

• Communication story

• Use of images

• Audio

• Video etc.
• 4. Message source : who would say it?

• Source credibility : perceived expertise, knowledge

of the source, the degree of trust that can be
placed on the source, etc.

• Types –
• Formal sources : organisation, firm celebrity
endorsements, product experts, and (are more credible)
• Informal sources : family, friends, peers, colleagues, and
other social groups
Communication mix across
digital channels
IMC For Digital
Platforms
 Integrated Marketing
Communication
• Integrated Marketing Communication is defined as “a
marketing mix element used to inform, persuade, and
remind people about an organisation and/or its products.”

• Integrating messaging across all channels to make them

consistent so that the customer across all countries could
see one view and image of the product
 Difference between Traditional
Communication and IMC approaches
 Objectives
• Awareness : to survive in the market
• Brand Loyalty : Involves customers making repeat purchases
& recommending brand to others
• Brand Image : building customer’s perception of the brand
• Marketing expansion : using various IMC techniques to
expand their markets
• Persuasion : if competitors have similar products, IMC
techniques show the superiority of their products and
encouraging buying.
• Educating Customers : use of product, handling operations
etc.
 Key Channels

• Advertising :

• Broadcasting/mass advertising -print, internet advertising ,

radio, television commercials

• Outdoor Advertising – billboards, street furniture, stadiums,

rest areas, subway advertising, taxis, transit
 Key Channels
• Digital/Internet marketing
• Intent-based marketing
• Brand marketing
• Content marketing
• Community based marketing
• Partner marketing
• Communication channel marketing
• Platform based marketing
 Sales Promotion
• Contests • Marketing collaterals – sell
• Coupons sheets, brochures, web
content, presentation etc.
• Product samples (freebies)
• Loyalty programs
• Premiums
• Installation
• Prizes
• Customer service
• Refunds/rebates
• Returns and repairs
• Special events
• Training programs
• Trade shows
 Public relations
• Special events
• Interviews
Creating and maintaining goodwill of
• Conference speeches
organisation’s stakeholders
• Industry awards
(customers, employees, investors, and
• Press conferences
suppliers) through publicity and other
• Testimonials
non-paid forms of communication
• News releases
• Publicity stunts
• Community involvement
• Charity involvement
 Direct marketing
• Direct mail
• Tele marketing
• Catalogs
• Shopping channels
• Internet sales
• Emails
• Text messaging
• Websites
• Online display ads
• Outdoor advertising
• Mobile
Four Pillars of the IMC Construct
• Stakeholders : all relevant publics or multiple marketers
with which the firm interacts
• Content : understanding consumers beyond traditional
marketing and giving insights to consumers through rich
content
• Channel : choosing all possible points of contact for
maximum exposure ensuring their relevance and preference
among the consumers
• Results : measuring behavioural responses and financial
returns
 Impact of digital channels on
IMC
• Search Marketing (Intent-based) –
• Firms get to know top keywords
• Most credible medium to take customers from an intent
to the consumption stage in the least possible time
• Display Advertising (Brand marketing) –
• Power to track all online customer actions and send
targeted messages
• Adds the creative and immersive angle to
communication channels
 Impact of digital channels on
IMC
• Content marketing –
• Its crucial to have strong online content for each
campaign to be successful
• Social media marketing (community based) –
• Given the quick response and immediate word of mouth
factor, the medium can help develop brand trust and let
consumers know that similar people also have a
preference for the product
 Impact of digital channels on
IMC
• Partner marketing (affiliate marketing,
sponsorships, PR) –
• Helps the overall IMC program reach out to customers
with varied interests
• Communication channel marketing (e-mail,
messaging, sms) –
• Options to pursue personal data for permission-based
marketing, wherein communications are guided by
seeking customer permissions rather than pushing the
product
 Impact of digital channels on
IMC
• Platform-based marketing (mobile, video,
media platforms kiosks, in-app) –
• Possibilities to improve reach, extend branding,
customized interaction, all of which form the core
of IMC exercise