Art and science of storytelling

Social media can make or break a business before it gets off the ground

Online marketing is no longer considered the not-so-popular cousin of the star attraction - traditional marketing. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Having a website that's search optimised, engaging with audience on social media, incorporating email marketing into day-to-day marketing strategy has become second nature for most companies.

How do you really stay on top of "what's hot?" and "what's not?" How do you ensure that you as the marketer are not at risk of being a laggard? Here is a checklist that should be pinned to your desktop:

Power of content marketing: With changing consumption patterns in this web-driven world, having a good content marketing strategy can not only help you with search, social media interactions (here's where your crowd-sourced brand content would come into play) and online advertising, among others, but also helps brands demonstrate their own expertise. Ensure your content move around four things - educate, inspire, entertain and convince.

Bet big on big data: An increasing number of companies are waking up to the importance of data as a strategic resource. The biggest driver of this change is the unquenchable need to gather more insights about the business and customers. Here, speeds of things - faster response time and time-to-decision - also play a pivotal role. The web now provides us with the data that we can utilise to determine what works and what doesn't.

Marketing automation awakens: We are at a stage where automation and technology are increasingly becoming inseparable from marketing, especially online marketing. The importance of marketing automation cannot be denied, as more and more marketers are starting to rely on complex marketing tech solutions to nurture leads and also deliver personalised, automated messages, and enhance their customer relationships. Marketing automation not only increases sales but also saves time. So, it's a win-win for them.

Start video marketing: With the video play button becoming the most compelling call to action on the web, marketers need to understand the huge role that video plays in the customer's purchase journey. Marketing is basically the "science of storytelling". And using video marketing to tell your story is one of the most powerful ways to breathe life into your brand.

Don't be stupid with social media: Social media marketing is a great way for even the little guy to shine. It can also make or break a business before it gets off the ground. Some of the biggest brands are guilty of this. For example, after the Nepal earthquake last year, Lenskart tweeted, "Shake it off like this earthquake", to advertise a range of sunglasses. It led to a PR fiasco. Social media offers a great way for brands to connect with the customers, but as they say, "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Think mobile, be mobile: Mobile is no longer referred to as the "second screen", it has become the "preferred screen" for most. Take Facebook. With over 75 per cent of its revenue coming from mobile, it becomes clear that mobile should be a big part of the marketers' focus. Studies indicate mobile usage will eclipse desktop usage in 2016. Currently, most companies have a two-pronged mobile strategy - create a responsive website and create a mobile app that allows consumers to transact. To truly embrace mobile, brands will need to figure out how to integrate mobile with their omni-channel journeys.

Priyanka Shroff
Chief operating officer, Digital Republik