LIVING ONLINE: The next big digital revolution is here

In the beginning of the year, a group of 10 women made a resolution to lead a healthy lifestyle. To encourage and keep each other motivated, they decided to join a yoga class at a nearby studio.

But within a few months, everything was put under a lockdown. A few months down the line, the group is now seen to take classes on Zoom daily, like many others.

Just like for the said group of ladies, all our lives have taken a 360-degree turn with us being confined to the four walls of our home with a free pass to deep dive into the digital realm. From the work-from-home overdrive witnessed by all industries, implementation of remote learning in the education sector, digital transactions and interactions have seen a sharp rise in the last few months. From catering to the on-the-go audience to always-at-home audience – welcome to the next wave of digital revolution!

Adopt a consistent and uniform digital presence 

Today, there’s a gamut of diversified social media platforms available for brands and consumers. From Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, Pinterest etc. you name it and it’s there. While it makes sense to be omnipresent across all the platform, pragmatically it is not feasible. It is crucial for brands to continue to focus on platforms that they are currently active on rather than considering and strategizing on being present on all media. If a brand is active on Facebook and LinkedIn, then it must concentrate on increasing audience and build content on these two channels rather than thinking of being ‘omnipresent’ on other digital channels.

For example, for a jewellery brand, most of their audience will be active on Instagram. Therefore it must focus all its activities on that particular platform. Similarly, for a manufacturing & engineering brand, the most apt channels would be Facebook and LinkedIn for its target audience (dealers and consumers).

Develop your brand’s digital Awaaz

The key to craft an impactful and successful communication online, is to first establish your voice. To adopt this strategy, find your C.A.T.T –

• Company culture (vision, mission and values)
• Authenticity (building trust in your audience)
• Target audience (youth, experts, marketers etc)
• Tonality and language (formal, informal or a mix of both)

Following this as a rule of thumb will help you convey and augment your brand’s ‘messaging’ thereby aiding you to widen your audience reach across digital platforms.

Focus on B.R.A.N.D – Build Reach Through Advertisements for Niche Demographics

Brands should be agile in looking out fresh strategies and explore new opportunities on various trending digital channels in order to enhance their social media presence. As people watch more and more advertisements of a particular brand, they tend to get curious about what it has to offer, leading to sales which is the ultimate objective.

You can run advertisements on prominent OTT platforms such as Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Voot etc and online gaming apps like Ludo King, Poker, Rummy Circle etc, which now have celebrities as brand ambassadors.

Approach relatable influencers who will promote products and services by creating unique content and help reach niche audience.

Another effective way, you can adopt is by entering into a strategic alliance and put forth unique offerings for enhanced visibility and attract new customers. For example, a brand selling baby toys and another brand selling baby food can come together for a contest or campaign.

Keep the Conversation Going 

A brand’s success depends on the connection it shares with its customers and maintenance of a  continuous social media engagement.

It is important to keep the momentum alive with their audience around latest social media conversations. One can look at content that can talk about – the importance of social distancing, sharing insights on work from home approach or important business tips during the crisis.

While posting, you will observe that the life of posts on social media is very short. For you to ensure a recall value in the minds of the audience, updating content is essential.

As digital is already becoming the new big wave, these ideas and learnings will open avenues for brands to delve deep and work on their social media strategy to adapt to the fast changing trends of the market.