Darlene Milligan: New Branding Techniques in Digital Environments

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A decade or two ago, businesses could easily identify and quantify where,
when, and how to reach web users effectively. However, this is not true today
because the web has evolved into a network that consists of industry-specific
platforms, social networking sites, e-commerce sites, publicly accessible
databases and blogs. Furthermore, consumers can access the Internet using
devices such as smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. This means
businesses need to bridge this digital divide in order to run successful
branding/marketing campaigns.

The Digital Divide Hurdle

According to a 2014 Millennial Media report dubbed "Cross-Screen Consumer
Behavior Decoded," 70% of web users own and use multiple devices to access
the Internet. Out of these, 67% of millennials interact with two different
devices within 24 hours. This is in addition to 30% of millennials who
interact with four different devices every 24 hours. While this is good
from a consumer standpoint, it is a challenge for marketers who must
devise ways of reaching platform agnostic consumers, according to Mollie
Spilman, EVP, Global Sales and Operations at Millennial Media. Moreover,
multiple device ownership means marketers and brand evangelists have to
deal with an ever-increasing number of consumer "touchpoints" (any time
consumers encounter brands). In spite of these hurdles, 90% of consumers
expect brand engagements to remain consistent across devices and marketing
channels. At the same time, 60% of millennials expect smooth customer
experiences whether they engage with brands online or in-store. Up to 58%
of the same demographic expect brands to be easily accessible regardless
of channel. Finally, it is worth noting that companies that offer online
marketing services are not making it easier for businesses to identify
and reach the right consumer audience according to a Forrester paper
commissioned by Google. 

A manager in charge of marketing and media services at an unnamed company
interviewed while carrying out research for this paper expressed
exasperation with an increasingly complex ad-buying process that includes
portals and exchanges. This makes it hard for businesses to identify
their real consumers.

Bridging the Digital Divide

Despite the challenges discussed above, it is possible for a marketer to
develop and launch a branding campaign that is not channel-specific. To
do so effectively, one must adopt a multi-pronged approach that encompasses:

1. Content

Stephanie Gaines, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at digital video
brand advertising firm YuMe, says content is at the heart of the digital
media industry. As such, it should be a key element in all branding efforts.
To increase the likelihood of branding message resonating with target audience,
Gaines recommends creating unique content and delivering it in an innovative
manner that suits content context and circumstances. No one illustrates the
power of creatively packaged content better than the Hip Hop rapper Drake.
According to choreographer Tanisha Scott who also appeared in Drake's Hotline
Bling video, Drake expected music fans to create the memes, gifs, and mashups
that made his song go viral. This is the right approach given 80% of consumers
say content authenticity influences brand loyalty. The "type of content"
packaged for marketing purposes influences brand perception among 83% of
consumers.

2. Cross-screen behavior data analysis

Data from Millennial Media's "Cross-Screen Consumer Behavior Decoded" report
shows that cross-screen behavior varies depending on content type. For instance,
80% of consumers use traditional PCs (desktop or laptop) to access B2B content.
On the other hand, web users consume 79% of streaming radio content, 79% of
gaming content, 61% of social media content, and 61% of weather content via
mobile devices. As such, businesses should invest in marketers with data
analysis skills or hire data analysts who can collaborate with marketers to
analyze cross-screen data. This will enable marketers to develop effective
data-driven branding strategies.

3. Good grasp of modern ad-serving technology

According to an Accenture digital advertising report, marketers should be
well versed in new advertising models and technologies. This includes Real-Time
Bidding (RTB)/programmatic buying, Pay for Performance (PFP), Convergence Buys,
and consolidated buying platforms. Without a good grasp of these technologies
and ad models, it is hard for a marketer to determine a branding campaigns' ROI.

Major Branding Channels

To start with, marketers should use social media for branding because sites
like Facebook and Twitter reach 80% of consumers. Out of these, Facebook commands
16% of the mobile ad market. Other notable players on the social media front
include LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and Google+. Another key
branding channel is search engine marketing. Google AdWords is the leader in this
space reaching over one billion unique searchers globally. The Yahoo Bing Network
reaches 516 million unique searchers worldwide.

Conclusion

To roll out a successful digital branding campaign, marketers must develop
branding strategies that revolve around delivering unique content
innovatively, cross-screen behavior data analysis, and good grasp of modern
ad-serving technology. By doing so, a marketer can identify all customer
touchpoints. Businesses can use search engine marketing and social media
marketing to reach the right brand audience.
NJIT Online