Nowadays, it is clear that generating high-quality user experiences guarantees companies satisfactory and lasting relationships with their clients, creating greater interest, increasing sales, and improving one’s reputation. However, 2020’s complexity, with in-person services reduced to a minimum, has prevented companies from carrying out their traditional plans and strategies.
This is why digital is no longer just another tool used as a bridge between brand and customer relationships. Instead, it serves as a perfect two-way communication tool that allows them to understand and accompany each other.
If we assess the main tools that the digital environment offers brands as a way to improve their relationship with the customer, we will see that they are not new, but rather have been around for several years. Yet, they are unique because artificial intelligence powers them through big data, allowing for the hyper-personalization of messages for each customer.
These digital tools facilitate the connection in which content and listening play a fundamental role and serve to be the key to fostering meaningful conversation, as it cannot be otherwise.
Digital content, online reviews, chatbots… All these tools are on the rise because, despite the fact that they had previously existed, they are just now gaining vital importance due to technology.
Content is still “king”
Of course, it remains fundamental. The important thing is to deliver it at the time when it is relevant for each user. It is, therefore, necessary to pair content development strategies with marketing automation strategies that accompany users throughout the buying process.
This content is distributed through company’s channels: websites, blogs, newsletters, and also on their social networks, which continue to grow despite previously believing that they had reached their limit. According to the latest report by We Are Social / Hootsuite, Digital 2021, in just one year, social network penetration in Spain has grown by 28%, reaching 80% of the population. The way we are using social networks also reflects this increase: almost 41% of the population declares to use social networks as the main search engine when they want to find a brand.
Learning from others’ experiences
Generating content is imperative, but let’s not forget to leave space for our consumer’s opinions about our brands. Increasingly, people interested in a service or product are informed by other user’s experiences and give it greater credibility than other sources.
According to eDigital Research, 75% of users expect to be able to publicly share their brand experience through differing online methods, and 86% will not make a purchase decision without first checking third-party reviews.
Therefore, in recent years we have seen the growth of platforms that make it easier for brands to manage these reviews.
Personalized, real-time conversations
Serving our audience in real-time and in a personalized way would not be possible without the help of technology. Today, at last, having empathetic conversations with users through chatbots has become a reality.
A study by MarketsandMarkets predicts that over the next five years, this sector will grow at a rate of more than 26%. This is a striking growth if we take into account that in 2019/2020, this sector suffered a slight recession.
What happened? Thanks to the implementation of new technology, bots have evolved from being mere popups incapable of performing simple and repetitive tasks to now serving in customer support. It guides customers from the information to the purchase phase, continuously learning from users’ experiences typified by big data analysis.
This growth is driven by user’s need for personalization and self-management.
In conclusion, it is indisputable that introducing technological levers in our digital marketing strategies will boost results and lead to success.
Mar Camps Guerrero, Digital Director at ATREVIA.
Contact: mcamps@atrevia.com
