How has digital marketing impacted the branding process?

The branding process is a combination of research, strategic thinking, project management, and creativity. There are about five stages that apply to the overall business branding process of any nature: conducting research, developing strategies, designing the identity, creating touchpoints, and finally managing assets. The brand development process has evolved throughout the year and digital marketing plays a significant role in this.

Over the past decade, digital marketing has become a specialty. The increase in the number of personal devices and their use is immense. Brand marketing specialists today have many more ways to communicate directly and interactively with their target customers.

Digital marketing impact the branding process

Companies seek to build or enhance their brands through digital brand-building programs more than ever. Digital channels open the door to connect with target consumers and harness their goodwill. Positive brand experiences will help build brand equity.

According to research conducted by Nielsen in 2012,

• 92% of consumers who declare that they trust earned media, such as word of mouth and recommendations from friends and family, above other forms of advertising. This is an 18% increase from 2007.
• Online consumer reviews were the second most trusted source with 70% indicating that they trust them, an increase of 15% in 2007.

This alone highlights the benefits of these digital attributes and to what extent it has an impact on customer perception of the brand.

Some benefits:

Digital marketing can amplify the offer of the brand: Digital programs can amplify the offer by communicating the additional benefits available.

A good example would be Nike: The consumer goods brand Nike offers Nike + Connect with a chip embedded in shoes that provide an activity and performance log to track an individual's performance.

Digital Marketing Can Support Brand Offer: Digital Marketing Can Support Your Brand Offer With A Reward / Loyalty Scheme Like Cash Back Deals, Discounts On Upcoming Purchases, etc.

Owners of consumer goods brands can also learn from street brands like Subway and retail chains like Big Bazaar.

Traditional market vs digital market

Digital marketing can improve CRM processes: The entire CRM process can be done digitally, making it easier and more manageable.

Cow & Gate, owned by Danone, has a well-developed Baby Club brand development platform with CRM and eCRM programs

Digital marketing can amplify a brand-building platform: A good example is Red Bull. Red Bull has unveiled the Red Bull Stratos program, an adrenaline-fueled event for adventure seekers, plus live streaming and this interactive digital console.

Businesses can also succeed in merging the online and offline worlds. In other words, it understands and integrates a wide range of online activities with offline brand events. An integrated approach can be much more beneficial than viewing digital as tactical, experimental, a way to deliver great content, and an easy way to measure effectiveness.

The overall goal should be to provide a consistent and authentic total brand experience that is aligned with the brand's strategy, positioning, and purpose.

A negative impact?

Many traditional marketing specialists are considering the evolution of digital marketing in today's changing media environment as a threat. However, that is not true. In fact, the digital techniques used in marketing and communication are simply faster, more streamlined, practical, and versatile than traditional paper-based marketing. Therefore, marketers must be more progressive in adapting to change.

Through digital marketing strategies like link building and SEO, an organization can connect to its audience much more effectively. Similarly, a virtual landscape gives you the opportunity to reach key players: bloggers, influencers, and opinion leaders.

Furthermore, these key players can generally captivate a larger and more relevant audience than expected. The benefits of digital marketing in the process of building and establishing a brand are much more than expected and much greater in the long term.

Digital marketing increasing business

From improving visibility to developing a value-based relationship, growing market share, and increasing sales, digital marketing have its advantages at the top. Digital marketing will help brands stay competitive in the noisy world of digital media. The brand has always been about connectivity. Digital increases the connection of brands, people, and things.

The online customer relationship rarely ends with a sale. Brand building in the digital environment should take advantage of this and turn unique customers into loyal followers and admirers of the brand. A well-defined brand is essential to distinguish your product or service from the rest and what capitalizes on this factor more than digital marketing. The brand is not just about your product or service. It is about your social commitment, customer services, sales process, your employees, and everything related to the business.

Digital marketing is like a backbone for all of these things to succeed in the right way. Therefore, we can safely say that digital marketing has had a positive impact on the branding process.

In conclusion:

Digital marketing is the new norm and it is essential to build a strong brand in the digital age. There is no fixed recipe for success in the online world, the landscape is always changing and companies must adapt.