The everyday life of consumers is changing by the minute. Our demands change. Our styles change. Our interests change. Thanks to technology, the use of smart phones and tablets has completely transformed the way in which we consume information and engage with one another. Think about it. When was the last time you didn’t have your smartphone sitting right next to you? Or rather, when was the last time you “Googled” something on your phone? It was probably sometime in the past week, if not the past day.
According to Karina Conn, expert marketing strategist, reaching the constantly “connected consumer” today is more of a science than an art. For me, media strategy was always based around the psyche of the consumer and what will make them tick. Now, every single move that consumers make on the Internet is tracked: clicks, what they said, what was said about them, time spent on a page, where they move next. Not only can marketers target based on where consumers surf the web, but also by the times they are likely to be online. All of this data is allowing marketers to transform their strategies and retarget themselves completely backed by real-time data.
What does this mean for corporations? It’s a blessing and a curse, really. Reaching customers through online channels has made it that much easier to have relationships with their customers. However, they are only going to pay attention to relevant and useful information, making marketing mistakes unacceptable. Consumers have higher standards of satisfaction because of their connectedness. We trust the sentiment of strangers all over the globe thanks to services like Yelp. This constantly connected way of life makes it nearly impossible for companies to be “offline” as social media has become a way of delivering customer service as well.
Though these mediums require more resources, they are worth it in the end. The engaged consumer is more powerful to a brand, as they become brand ambassadors by engaging in social media.
