Users who access the Internet today no longer only read content. The user plays a very important role on the network, as it is no longer only advertisers who offer content that a person simply reads, but rather this content is analysed, edited, commented on and distributed freely by the user. A two-way communication is created between company / customer.
Communities have been created throughout the network that brings together users interested in the same subject. We are leaving behind conventional marketing to give way to digital marketing. Traditional marketing is based on the 4 Ps, which are the Product, Price, Place (Distribution) and Promotion. These are the foundations for designing a product that will then be sold on the market.
Now, with the introduction of Digital Marketing and Social Media in our strategies, new foundations appear on which these techniques are based, the 4 Fs: Flow, Functionality, Feedback and Loyalty. These are essential factors to create optimal strategies.
Next, we are going to define what digital marketing is and briefly delve into each of these 4 Fs.
what is Digital Marketing?
The concept of marketing refers to the set of techniques that are used to improve the marketing of a company's products. However, if we add the word digital to this, it takes on a whole new meaning.
The essence is the same: digital marketing is the techniques used to improve the marketing of a product within the digital environment.
how is this done? Companies use the main web channels to achieve their marketing objectives. Marketing techniques are executed on Internet media and channels.
It is mainly about taking advantage of all the functionalities that the Internet offers in order to improve the marketing of a product. In this way we boost that business in an efficient way.
Digital Marketing takes advantage of Social Media to promote and give visibility to your products. Social Media Marketing is based on putting into action a series of tools that open different communication channels in the digital world. It is the strategic creation of a new communication channel with an audience that is completely digital. Digital Marketing goes hand in hand with this Social Media plan, one cannot work without the other.
Having mentioned all of the above, we can define Digital Marketing as the system through which products and services are advertised, promoted and sold to a specific audience that uses the Internet through online channels and tools in a strategic and convenient way with the overall marketing strategy of a company.
Its main objective is to promote our business on the Internet. The main channels used for the promotion of its products are social networks, digital advertising and e-mail marketing.
The 4 Ps of Digital Marketing and Social Media
Any marketing professional must know and take into account the 4 Fs to carry out a good marketing strategy. The digital world is constantly evolving, so you have to know all the modern tools and important factors to meet all our brand objectives.
Paul Fleming is the one who introduces these 4 concepts in his book "Let's talk about Interactive Marketing". Next, we are going to explain each of them briefly:
- Flow
This is the first step to establish an effective strategy. It is based on the added value that a website offers to the user to attract their attention and interest, i.e. the way in which websites present information, offering the user a cross-platform or transversal experience to navigate in an interactive way.
Information should be presented in a clear and easy to understand way for the user. All quality content will include keywords and will be coherent, ordered, concise and clear to capture the user's interest and keep the flow state. Including audiovisual content, infographics or animations can improve the user's experience on these web pages.
- Functionality
This is the second requirement to be taken into account for optimal actions to be carried out. It is about showing an attractive website, with a good web usability and where navigation is clear and useful for the target audience that will access our website.
An intuitive and user-friendly navigation will also prevent a high bounce rate on our website. When we talk about functionality, it is inevitable to mention the "KISS" standard, an acronym for "Keep it simple, stupid", and one of the first principles to be registered in the US Navy. It is to offer a website that allows users to interact smoothly.
- Feedback
Feedback is based on two-way communication. It occurs when a user remains in a state of flow and keeps browsing thanks to the functionality. It is basically what happens when the relationship between company/user has started to build within the website. It can literally be translated as feedback and refers to the dialogue between brand and customer. The user communicates with the company and immediately receives a personalised response.
Thanks to all the web analytics tools, we can measure a large volume of data that will allow us to better understand the customer and meet their needs according to their experience browsing our website. Feedback also contributes to improving the digital reputation of a brand, as a company interested in the user and with a good interactive relationship with them, brings numerous benefits.
The relationship with our online community is the key to success in a Digital Marketing strategy. You must respond to all kinds of comments or questions that you find on the network, from criticism, curiosities or user contributions. In this way you make them feel heard and understood.
- Loyalty
This is the last point of the 4 Fs. It is aimed at both a company's customers and potential customers or leads. It is about creating loyal customers for the brand. The Internet offers the possibility of creating online communities that provide content of interest to its members. Providing an attractive portal and a good deal of personalised dialogue with customers is important for building customer loyalty and generating a greater number of revenues.
Once the customer's attention has been captured, we must care for and maintain that relationship so that the customer remains loyal to our brand .
Digital Marketing and Social Media has revolutionised current marketing strategies. The 4 Fs already existed before the birth of online marketing, and they were ahead of their time, but they are the four essential keys to a Digital Marketing strategy. It is essential to pay special attention to these four points in order to carry out optimal marketing actions. We hope you enjoyed this post!
