Successful web marketing, wherever you're based

Living in South Africa, it's easy to think that any business you run will necessarily be behind the eight-ball when it comes to global competition. This might have been the case for most of history, but, all other things being equal, online marketing and customer connection are great equalizers when it comes to modern business. Though we might fall into pre-web thinking from time to time, you've got to learn about and embrace the web tactics of today to realise that there's nothing holding you back but you.

Simple SEO software can be the difference between brand recognition and brand ignorance, at least on the part of your would-be customer base. For those still unsure about what SEO is all about, let's do a little primer. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a way of making sure that when a person on the internet searches for something related to your business, your business is what turns up at the top of their results.

But this is easier said than done. Most people don't have any idea how to achieve search results that are good for their own bottom line, and that's largely because Google doesn't tell us how their search algorithms work! What we know about how search results are gleaned are, in large part, determined by the research and trial/error performed by SEO sleuths all over the web. While we don't know the exact methods that Google uses to get its customers the most relevant information, we know quite a lot, even though these methods are constantly changing.

For one, Google searches a great deal of text. As much as we like to think of the internet as a visual medium, the written word is still the primary way by which people ingest information. So in spite of all of the videos and images, text is still the easiest and fastest way for an algorithm to take in information.

Algorithms search all over the web, reading articles and sites, but usually only digging down through the earliest text, not the deepest stuff. Here, if the algorithms find search terms identical or related to the search term put into the engine by a user, this site will be included in the results. If many different phrases link to a single page, this is seen as a link with authority, so even though it might have the same phrases that are found on other sources, the fact that it is central to so much other traffic will mean that Google prioritises over a search term instance that occurs in relative isolation.

Keyword text is important, and so is the location of a piece of material. The more a piece of written content is accessed (providing the keywords are written in it), the more authority that Google will give to it. However, too much concentration of relevant text will seem like an SEO grab to the algorithms, and will therefore not be listed as prominently. Diversity and frequency are the key in the ever-changing search for better search engine optimisation.

Source: Successful web marketing, wherever you're based

Leveraging Your Competitor’s Data For ecommerce Marketing

Growing up, your mother probably told you not to compare yourself to anyone else. While this is sound advice and you should definitely listen to your mom, she doesn't have an eCommerce business to look after. The market is stiff nowadays; it doesn't just pay to work hard anymore, you need to work smart too. This means drawing inspiration from everywhere, even your competition.

Leveraging your competition's data is a way to stay ahead of your competitors and the entire industry as a whole. If you already know where they're going, their strengths and weakness, you have two choices: follow them or carve out an entirely new and superior path. Sun Tzu, the famous Chinese military strategist once said, keep your friends close and your enemies closer  ̶  let's find out just how close this will be.

It's a Dog Eat Dog World

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, users surfed the web to post their adolescent thoughts on Xanga and share statuses on AOL Instant Messenger. Sorry to say, but this story doesn't have a happy ending because those days are long gone (plus no one really uses Xanga or AIM anymore).

The internet is no longer just a place for expression, it's now a powerhouse of information and everyone is vying for the same thing ̶ a user's attention. Constantly pumping out content, hiring top digital design experts, and keeping to yourself simply will not get you as far as you'd like. In this age, running an eCommerce business requires the ability to see the full scope of your projects, including understanding your business' position within your niche.

Competitor analysis in marketing is important because believe it or not, you learn more about yourself than you do about your competition. Where other do brands stand in comparison to yours? Who is truly the best of the best? What strategies are they using for success? Where does your business need to improve? These are all questions that need an honest answer because they will help your business grow.

It's a humbling experience, but a necessary one. Neil Parker of Vision Critical writes that competitor analysis "provides the early warning you need to make the necessary correction(s)". Humility was never an easy lesson, but in order to position your business for success, your ego needs to step aside.

The Sorting Hat

When you sit down and start your competitor analysis, the first thing you'll need to do is sort them into different categories. Just like the sorting hat from Harry Potter peeked into the souls of every little witch and wizard at Hogwarts, you have to go beyond the surface level and really get to know which brands you need to pay attention to, and which you just need to keep tabs on.  Divide the businesses into three different groups: direct competitors, indirect competitors and replacement competitors.

Direct competitors are the ones who offer or provide the same products or services as your own business; they're the poster child for competition. A couple examples would be Coke and Pepsi, AT&T and T Mobile, McDonald's and Wendy's, and Harry Potter and Voldemort. Essentially, they're your rivals.

Indirect competitors are the ones who offer or provide similar products or services as your own business, and are targeting the same audience to satisfy the same need. For example, Taco Bell and McDonald's are both fast food chains. Although Taco Bell specializes in Tex-Mex food and McDonald's is a burger joint, both seek to satisfy the consumer's hunger with a quick bite to eat. A couple more examples are AirBnb and The Marriott, Uber and The MTA, Vitamin Water and Tropicana.

Replacement competitors are the brands your business can't necessarily compete with because they belong to a different industry altogether. They are an entirely different option your consumers can go to. For example, if your friends have a day off and plan to go rock climbing, but at the last minute choose to attend a Broadway show instead, that is a replacement competitor.

Categorizing your competition will help your team get a clearer understanding of what you're up against, and will reveal the businesses that are immediately next in line for your users to go to versus the ones they may visit later. Sort it out and figure out where you stand.

I Spy With My Little Eye

The Internet is a beautiful thing because there are dozens of apps and tools specially designed to aide you with your competitor analysis. The only thing your team has to do now is determine which one will be the most helpful for you. Here are a couple of marketing favorites and what they can do for you:

SpyFu is the tool you'll want to use if you're targeting keywords and you want to know which terms your competitor is profiting from the most.

SEMrush is the tool you'll want if you're looking for a cohesive understanding of your competition's content strategy. It shows keyword rankings on SERPs in real time, delivers a site audit, and provides a backlink analysis.

Siteliner is the tool you're looking for if you want to build your links and increase your Google ranking.

With these tools, you'll be able to choose better keywords, build your links, and paint a bigger picture of what your content marketing plan should look like.

If I Unlike It Really Quickly, Will They Still Get a Notification?

We've all done it.

We've all stalked someone on Facebook or a competitor on Instagram to see what they're up to. What kind of content they're posting? When are they active on their profiles? Who are they're connected with? Social media is a huge force in eCommerce because social branding is huge, and the way your audience perceives your brand, engages with your content, and responds to your products or services can all be found on your social channels. According to Neil Patel, co-founder of KISSmetrics,

"Social factors such as likes, reviews and ratings are important, because they can lead to a higher click-through rate on your site – and in turn affect its search engine performance. Positive engagement on social networks help improve market share."

For example, you can see when your competition is mentioned in real time or in blogs or other social channels by using SocialMention. Just search the business' name and watch the results pop-up!

It's All in the Details

Understanding where to spend your time, energy and budget is crucial to your online business' success; that's why statistics are important for eCommerce marketing ̶ data doesn't lie. Tracking your marketing strategies and converting them to numerical values will help your team determine what they need to keep doing and what they need to improve on.

This is exactly why Google Analytics became such a popular tool for business owners. Set up your account and check to see what your statistical standing looks like. This eCommerce guide will help you navigate and make sense of the information. Using data from analytics will also give you a solid picture on whether your strategies are working or not, and what your conversion rate looks like before and after any changes you make.

According to Justin Butlion from KISSmetrics,

"knowing these things enables you to drop certain products or make strategic changes in your pricing that will result in big gains or, at the very least, limit damage to your profits." Pay attention to the details and your business will be better for it.

Eat My Dust!

Although business is riddled with competitors, they can be great motivators and even better sources of information. Whether you want to admit it or not, there is no one who will understand your situation better than your competition. Let's take a look at how to do that one more time:

Sort your competitors into different categories: direct, indirect, or replacement

Choose tools and apps to help you create a more cohesive understanding of your competition

Social media is a teller for your competitor's content strategy

Data driven decisions are the best kind

Don't forget to round out your eCommerce strategy with the latest trends!

Save

Source: Leveraging Your Competitor's Data For ecommerce Marketing

Expand your search marketing knowledge with an SMX Workshop

Get the most important digital marketing news each day.

SMX workshops are conducted by the world's leading subject matter experts in SEO, SEM, social and digital. Choose from one of six amazing options and join us on Monday, October 23, to attend. All preconference workshops will be held at the Westin Times Square in New York City.

Each workshop provides:

a full day of in-depth instruction from respected search marketing leaders.

an intimate learning and networking experience with like-minded professionals.

actionable takeaways that you'll put to use immediately.

Select from one of our six outstanding SMX workshops:

Advanced SEO Training: Learn best practices directly from Bruce Clay, the world-renowned SEO industry expert. The Advanced SEO Training course offers a detailed overview of critical ranking and placement techniques to overcome competition for top search engine rankings for desired keywords. Learn more.

Certified Knowledge Advanced AdWords: AdWords is at the core of many companies' digital campaigns. Effective and efficient PPC campaigns make the difference between success and failure and can dramatically impact your bottom line. Join SEM expert Brad Geddes for an intensive AdWords course that will teach you best practices and advanced concepts and strategies that are based upon a decade of research and testing. Learn more.

Mastering Social Media Advertising: This workshop is designed for paid social media marketing practitioners and managers. You'll get a deep dive into getting more out of paid social — from advanced-level learning on creative strategies to efficiently managing all your paid campaigns. SMX's own Ginny Marvin will lead this workshop, which features seven experts, all bringing their own expertise and perspective. Learn more.

Essential Online Marketing Tactics for E-commerce: Is your company selling directly to consumers? Are you moving from the physical shelf to the digital shelf? Are your consumers making more and more of their purchasing decisions online? If so, this workshop is perfect for you. Join workshop presenter Benjamin Spiegel for all the right e-commerce moves! Learn more.

Hardcore Technical SEO Tactics & Techniques: If you deal with big SEO problems, work in a large enterprise or have a site with millions (or billions) of web pages, you need hardcore technical SEO knowledge at the ready. Taught by Stone Temple Consulting's CEO Eric Enge, this is a true master class, loaded with advanced content. Learn more.

Mastering Conversion Rate Optimization: Whether exploring conversion rate optimization for the first time or dreaming of website personalization, a new and free testing tool from Google called Google Optimize will help you not only learn about your target audience segments, but generate more revenue from them. Led by industry leader Jon Meck, this workshop will have you running optimization tests by the end of the day! Learn more.

SMX workshop participants rave about their experiences:

"This course will greatly enhance your ability to increase your search rankings which will result in greater search engine generated traffic."

— Bruce Clay SEO workshop attendee

"The seminar was probably worth far more than 10 times the cost. I was astounded to see how much useful information Brad was able to deliver in one day. I'm a little overwhelmed just thinking about where to start with all the positive changes I can now make with our internet marketing."

— Rick D. — Minneapolis, MN

Customize your SMX East experience AND save:

All Access and Workshop combo: Get the complete package for only $2,795, a savings of $500 compared to on-site rates. Or, if you've registered for an All Access Pass and would like to upgrade with a workshop, just pay an additional $900.

Workshop Pass: Just looking for a one day workshop intensive? You can do that, too, for just $995, a $200 savings compared to on-site rates.

If you're just interested in attending the SMX East conference October 24-26, that's fine, too! For only $1,895, you'll get full access to all conference sessions, keynotes, clinics, networking activities, WiFi and hot meals.

Some opinions expressed in this article may be those of a guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed here.

About The Author Marketing Land is a daily publication covering digital marketing industry news, trends, strategies and tactics for digital marketers. Special content features, site announcements and occasional sponsor messages are posted by Marketing Land.
Source: Expand your search marketing knowledge with an SMX Workshop

Web Content Management Market by Solution, Service, Deployment Type, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

LONDON, Sept. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

"Seamless multichannel web experience and increasing trend of web-based marketing are driving the Web Content Management (WCM) market"The WCM market size is expected to grow from USD 4.91 billion in 2017 to USD 10.63 billion by 2022, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.7%. Seamless multichannel brand experience and increasing trend of web-based marketing have led to the adoption of WCM solutions. Migration of content within existing systems is one of the restraints for the WCM market.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5090300/

"Retail and consumer goods vertical is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period"The retail and consumer goods vertical is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Retail vertical is becoming more customer centric with its continual focus on leveraging Internet technology. The organizations in retail vertical have adopted a strategy of managing business operations globally and working locally on development and pre-production sanction of products. Retail vertical has necessary information of customers required for promotions, marketing, sales, and service of products. WCM solutions empower organizations to host content from various sources and to market products and services from a centralized place. Retail vertical is looking forward for WCM solutions as it supports control and restrictions pertaining to trademarks, promotions, regulatory compliances, and user access. WCM solutions facilitate organizations to share and collaborate product information, design, and ideas. WCM solutions enables organizations to collaborate information regarding customer details, customer preferences, visit timing of customer on the website, and purchases made by them. WCM help consumer goods providers by creating web-based marketing processes such as an advertisement for influencing customers to make purchases.

Moreover, the difficulty in managing a larg e volume of regularly updated media comprising general marketing activities that are either in-store or outdoor, encourages them to implement WCM for the optimum utilization of web-based content.

"APAC i expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period"

APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the WCM market during the forecast period. The APAC market is expected to show the fastest adoption of WCM solutions. The enterprises across various vertical are adopting WCM solutions to market their products and services and to strengthen the customer relationship. Large presence of SMEs in this region augments the adoption of relatively low-cost cloud-based WCM solution for varied business needs. The region has a large potential for generation of significant revenue as organizations are looking forward to strengthen brand presence and loyalty by reaching customers through various touch points across multiple channels such the web, mobile, applications, and social media. Moreover, with the escalating usage of Internet and social media among users, and widespread penetration of mobile devices, companies are encouraged to adopt WCM solutions to efficiently deliver content across multiple channels. Increasing advancements in mobility and cloud adoption in this region have encouraged organizations to adopt cloud-based WCM solutions.

Breakdown of profile of primaries• By Company: Tier 1 – 31%, Tier 2 – 47%, and Tier 3 – 22%• By Designation: C-level – 71%, Director level – 18%, and Others – 11%• By Region: North America – 65%, Europe – 17%, APAC – 9%, MEA – 5%, and Latin America – 4%

The WCM ecosystem comprises major vendors, such as OpenText Corporation (Canada), IBM Corporation (US), Adobe Systems Incorporated (US), Oracle Corporation (US), SDL PLC (UK), Microsoft Corporation (US), Sitecore (Denmark), Episerver (US), Acquia, Inc. (US), e-Spirit (US), Rackspace Hosting Inc., (US), and Crownpeak Technology (US).

Research CoverageThe report includes in-depth competitive analysis of these key players in the WCM market, with their company profiles, the strength of product portfolios, recent developments, and key market strategies. The research report segments the WCM market by co mponent (solutions and services), deployment type, organization size, vertical, and region.

Reasons to Buy the ReportThe WCM market has been segmented on the basis of components (solutions and services), deployment types, organization sizes, verticals, and regions. The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways:1. The report segments the WCM market comprehensively and provides the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall market and the subsegments. The market numbers are further split across various industries and regions.2. The report helps the stakeholders to understand the pulse of the market and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.3. This report will help stakeholders in better understanding the competitors and gaining more insights to better position their businesses. There is a separate section on competitive landscape, including competitor ecosystem, an d mergers and acquisitions. Besides, there are company profiles of 12 players offering services in this market. In this section, market internals has been provided that can put them ahead of the competitors.Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5090300/

About ReportbuyerReportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishershttp://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information:Sarah SmithResearch Advisor at Reportbuyer.comEmail: query@reportbuyer.com  Tel: +44 208 816 85 48Website: www.reportbuyer.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/web-content-management-market-by-solution-service-deployment-type-organization-size-vertical-and-region---global-forecast-to-2022-300513524.html

SOURCE ReportBuyer

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]

Source: Web Content Management Market by Solution, Service, Deployment Type, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

Website tells you when police are spotted in Columbia's Five Points bar district

COLUMBIA — Frustrated with recurring rumors about the Five Points bar district in downtown Columbia being overrun with police officers, Alex Waelde said he wanted to set the record straight by launching a website to answer the question: "Is SLED out?"

Issledout.com, which has been live for about a week, is a crowd-sourced website that will let visitors know if officers with the State Law Enforcement Division, Columbia Police Department or University of South Carolina Police Department are patrolling the bar area known to draw large crowds of college students.

"There are always rumors that Five Points is this police state where police are down there all the time, that SLED is down there cracking heads every night," Waelde said. "So I made a website. It's like those gag websites that are like, 'Did the Gamecocks win?' And you go to it and it says no. It's to show people that SLED is not out there every night."

Waelde, who does marketing for several bars and restaurants in Five Points, said he was tired of business being affected by people starting rumors about the area being overrun with police.

"Our entire bar district is going to be dead because of some stupid rumor some stupid girl made," Waelde said.

Issledout.com provides updates such as "light activity, — 1-3 officers sighted," "heavy 6-10+ officers most are located at major intersections on foot," or even "light — mainly traffic pullovers."

Waelde stresses the information on the website is only as good as the tips it gets from the public. And the attention seems to be welcome by police officers in the area.

Waelde said officers he knows tell him they think the website, which launched Monday, is funny.

"A lot of them have told me, 'If you have to make a website, clearly it means we're doing our job,' " he said. "And that's kind of what the website is trying to do, too. To show, yes, they're doing their job, but they're not going overboard."

SLED Chief Mark Keel said if alerting the public through technology that police officers are on the streets keeps violations down, he sees no problem.

"If they see us out there and this would keep young people from violating our laws in regards to drinking underage and that type of thing, I don't have an issue with it," Keel said. 

But he stressed that it wouldn't be smart to rely on the website when making a decision about breaking the law.

"If I'm a young person in Five Points or anywhere else, I wouldn't be dependent on it," he said. "You never know where we might be."

Columbia Police Capt. Christopher Roberts, who commands the patrol region that includes the Five Points bar district and a significant amount of off-campus student housing, said the department's primary goal remains making sure residents are safe.

"Tracking software and notifications do not deter us from maintaining optimal performance and transparency while on duty," he said.

Waelde, a USC graduate from Greenville, also has successfully run the @DrinkingTicket Twitter account since 2011, which solicits tips from followers to find out where there is police and criminal activity. Waelde often was asked by several of his nearly 80,000 followers to create a website dedicated to letting people know if the police were out.

The account started in May 2011 as a resource for students to be directed to legal advice when they found themselves being charged with driving under the influence or an open container violation.

"It's really turned into something where it's like people care about the information shared on there," Wealde said. "When I tweet something out, it's something that the students care about and want to see."

He prides himself on getting information out hours before most traditional media outlets about the 2014 murder-suicide of a USC professor who was killed by his wife. He credits that with not being held to the types of checks and balances that newspapers and television stations are held to by the journalism field.

Still, Wealde said, his information has been true 99.8 percent of the time during the lifetime of the Twitter account.

"The only thing to worry about is when these kind of platforms get into the wrong hands," Wealde said. "That's when it could be kind of dangerous."

Reach Maya T. Prabhu at 843-509-8933. Follow her on Twitter @MayaTPrabhu.

Source: Website tells you when police are spotted in Columbia's Five Points bar district

A look into video marketing and how data is preparing us for a digital future

Look, data is everything. We could argue the merits of many different factors that affect business decisions and your your business model, but at the end of the day data tells the true story about what is going on. It doesn't discriminate, it doesn't care about your personal feelings, it just is. 

The point of that soapbox stand above is that when a company that focuses on data (or has mass amounts available) releases a study or infographic that compiles their data into something easily digestible, it's never a bad idea to take five minutes to look it over and see what knowledge can be gleaned. Take two of the studies discussed below by Egnyte and HubSpot, for example, where they break down data storage methods and how video is changing the way we consume information – both at home and in the office. What might seem like a boring, maybe even unnecessary, study on the surface actually can give valuable insights into storage expenses, preferred devices (which can increase views), and a multitude of other factors.

Ok, let's take this bit of information for example. While there will always be merits to having some of your storage on-premise, it is still surprising to see that 41% is still in-house. One would imagine this number would continue to go down as years pass, but why is that number still so high? Is it because of technological hurdles? Maybe an uninformed management team? Sadly, the graph can't answer that, but it shows that there is still places for improvement and the next savvy entrepreneur might be able to figure out a solution for this, that can benefit their idea and the storage solutions of companies of all sizes.

Then, there's the more practical information in this segment – video only accounts for 1% of content, but 20% of storage. That is astounding, especially considering that HubSpot estimates that 80% of web traffic will be driven by video by 2019. Storage and optimization of video will continue to take a bigger priority in the years to come, and these numbers from the infographic really help put that into perspective.

Taken from the HubSpot infographic, this helps put into perspective the number of videos being pushed out by businesses. That number alone is startling to me, but I would imagine it is larger companies mainly, with some outliers. As mentioned above, by 2019 it is estimated that 80% of traffic will be driven by video, so, will this number go up? Is there a saturation point? If that point is much higher, companies will need to start looking at more realistic ways to store their large video files.

There is also the marketing factor to take into account, especially with the HubSpot infographic. (Egnyte discusses usage of devices in their study, as well, but it is more of a look into operating systems which doesn't have as much effect with this piece). Business related videos are viewed 86% of the time on desktop, whereas time spent on social media is done predominately on mobile (80%). So, you can use this information to better understand your target audience and where you should put your focus into advertising for your video marketing.

And that helps bring it back full circle. Data. By looking at these two studies we can see that it might not be as simple as just "Let's create more video content," because while it might drive traffic, it is sitting there taking up valuable (and sometimes expensive) space. Add to the fact that we're quickly able to correlate business views in relation to business devices used and we can start making better decisions when we start our next marketing campaign – all because of data and the companies that compile it.

This post is part of our contributor series. The views expressed are the author's own and not necessarily shared by TNW.

Read next: The Surface Laptop's i7 configurations now come in pretty colors too

Source: A look into video marketing and how data is preparing us for a digital future

The 5 Challenges of Digital Marketing Transformation

"Digital transformation" has become a popular buzzword – senior executives and experts are all talking about it.

Some enterprises are already leveraging the benefits of digital transformation, while others struggle with incorporating the necessary changes into their business processes.

Digital marketing transformation is a very broad term: there's no single definition of it, and expert opinion on it is highly divergent.

Ivan Menezes, CEO at Diageo, says, "it's not about doing 'digital marketing', it's about marketing effectively in a digital world."

Brian Solis, a principal analyst at Altimeter Group, defines digital marketing transformation as "the realignment of, or new investment in, technology, business models, and processes, to drive new value for customers and employees, and more effectively compete in an ever-changing digital economy."

In today's world, it is essential for enterprises to stay current as their competitors carry out digital transformation and increase their revenue and market share.

Tim Howell, a digital marketing strategist, says, "the majority of marketers understand the need to evolve their businesses, they recognize the urgency in changing how they do business, and they know that their competitors are having the same conversation."

Digital marketing transformation is exactly what enables enterprises not to stay competitive. 27% of senior executives believe that digital transformation is a matter of survival.

At the same time, 33% of enterprises see digital transformation as a real challenge.

Why is digital marketing transformation considered so complex? When carrying out digital improvements, CMOs may encounter various challenges. In this article we will discuss them and ways to overcome them.

The Challenge of Big Data Management

The term "big data" refers to quantities of information so large that they are extremely difficult to process using traditional software and databases. Effective big data management is crucial for digital marketing transformation.

Large enterprises collect and work with vast amounts of data, which is a challenge to manage and process. In fact, many corporations manage various siloed systems that contain only scraps of information about customer operations, behavior and so forth.

Customer data is at the core of any top company. Leaders like Facebook, Airbnb, Uber, and Amazon achieved success because they leverage all of their customer data.

Facebook, for example, has a data science team that analyzes the habits and behavior of millions of people.

Efficient operation is impossible if data is not organized into a single system. This means that effective management of big data defines the company's success.

In some cases, the best solution is to gather and centralize big data into one platform. If the data is stored in one place, all staff members can access it whenever they need it. This enables better management and processing of data.

There are various big data solutions that help organize vast amounts of information. Examples include Microsoft's big data solution, Google Cloud Platform, Oracle Big Data Solutions, and many others.

All of these have some common features:

They enable organizing and managing big data in the cloud.

They provide reliability, flexibility, and faster scalability across the entire environment.

The Challenge of Finding the Right Team

Digital marketing transformation requires people with specific expertise in the digital sphere to lead and manage organizational changes. These modifications may include, for example, the adoption of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented realities, the Internet of Things, and many other technologies.

People with traditional marketing educations do not have the required knowledge to conduct digital transformation effectively.

Consider Adobe's survey, "DIGITAL DISTRESS: What Keeps Marketers Up at Night?". It indicates that senior executives don't feel confident about their digital capabilities. Less than half of the questioned marketers claimed that they were proficient in digital marketing.

Around 52% of CMOs consider their major barrier to digital marketing transformation a lack of familiarity with technology.

In the realm of digital marketing transformation, more focused marketing roles with more specific responsibilities should be introduced to stay agile.

According to Gartner, 19% of companies are planning to appoint a chief digital officer. Some examples of other relevant roles could be: Head of Digital Marketing, Digital Optimizer, Chief Data/Information Officer, and so forth.

Staff expertise directly influences a company's ability to incorporate new technologies, and consequently, adapt to constantly changing business demands. Hiring the right people with the correct knowledge is a critical factor in carrying out digital marketing transformation.

Recommended for You

Webcast, September 7th: Growth Hacking: Everything that is Working Right Now (Brand New Hacks)

The Challenge of Understanding Digital Customer Behavior Today's digital customers expect superb experiences from companies. These high expectations drive innovation and cause enterprises to go out of their way to meet customers' needs.

Forrester Research defines an enterprise prioritizing customer experience as a company that "focuses its strategy, its energy, and its budget on processes that enhance the knowledge of and engagement with customers, and prioritizes these over maintaining traditional competitive barriers."

For successful digital marketing transformation, the customer must be a central point for all changes. To enhance the customer experience, digital improvements must be personalized.

The challenge is to understand the specific needs of a digital customer as well as to outline the whole customer journey.

According to the "Digital Transformation Report" by Altimeter Group, technology is not the most important factor in digital marketing transformation. Digital customers' expectations and experiences influence digital transformation to a greater extent.

When deciding to shift to digital, CMOs should analyze what their customers actually lack. They should then find out the actual indicators of how digital transformation will help meet these needs and improve customer experiences accordingly.

Additional research from Altimeter Group, "The 2016 State of Digital Transformation," shows that 55% of executives responsible for digital transformation think that "evolving customer behaviors and preferences" is a crucial factor for change.

Yet 71% of marketers state that the biggest challenge is understanding customers' behavior and their impact.

The Challenge of Overcoming a Digital Marketing Paradox –"Transformation is Important but Not Urgent"

Senior executives talk a lot about the importance of digital marketing transformation.

The paradox is that as long as the enterprise's revenue is high enough, and senior management is satisfied, executives tend to think that there is no urgency to this process.

Meanwhile, other companies – likely including their competitors – are already introducing digital improvements, giving them a competitive advantage over those satisfied with the status quo.

To avoid losing market share to competitors, enterprises need to work out and communicate a clear vision for carrying out digital marketing transformation.

According to the results of Capgemini research, "The Digital Talent Gap: Developing Skills for Today's Digital Organizations," 87% of organizations think that digital marketing transformation provides a competitive advantage.

Moreover, Capgemini Consulting and MIT Sloan Management Review showed that 78% of senior executives consider digital marketing transformation an essential part of their company's growth. Furthermore, 51% of CMOs believe that it is critical to incorporate digital improvements into their business processes within next 12 months, and 63% of respondents state that the speed at which innovations are introduced in their companies is too slow.

Digital marketing transformation really is a matter of urgency. If adopted in a timely manner, it can help outpace competitors and gain market share.

The Challenge of Shifting to Mobile

The customer journey is influenced by mobile technologies, which are developing and spreading rapidly. This fast development contributes to the fact that digital customers' needs are accelerating.

Software that not long ago was used only on PCs is now expected to be accessible on mobile devices. Meeting digital customers' mobile needs is a real challenge for many companies.

Merkle | RKG analyzed Fortune 500 companies websites, and found that around half of them did not comply with Google's mobile-friendly standards. As a result, these companies may lose their position in Fortune's ranking.

Google has already announced that it will be shifting to mobile-first indexing, meaning that search engine result pages will be based on mobile content, and will give preference to mobile-friendly websites.

This will have a serious impact on how business is conducted.

According to eMarketer's prediction, "by 2019, 65% of the US population will be mobile users."

Wrapping it Up

In today's world, digital marketing transformation is a necessity for enterprises to remain competitive and win new markets.

However, the transformation process involves certain pitfalls.

Here is a summary of the challenges of digital transformation we discussed in this article:

Management of enterprise big data, especially when organized in siloed systems, is a real challenge. This is made easier when all of the data is collected in a single platform. This should be combined with a big data solution to help better manage customer data.

Without an experienced team, digital marketing transformation is impossible. Employees need more specific knowledge of technology and digital customer requirements.

Many enterprises have problems with estimating and meeting digital customers' needs. Improvements should be driven not by digital technologies, but by the customer experience, and what is needed to improve it.

Many enterprises think that digital transformation is not urgent, but they are actually wasting precious time and losing ground to competitors.

Digital transformation is influenced by mobile technologies, but many companies still underestimate their importance, and as a result, lose potential clients.

Author: Hassan Bawab

Hassan Bawab is the founder and CEO of Magic Logix, a Dallas, Texas based agency that provides a full spectrum of digital marketing and web development services for our worldwide clients from a variety of industries. After the successful launch of Magic Logix in 2004, Mr. Bawab's entrepreneurial ambition continued.… View full profile ›

Source: The 5 Challenges of Digital Marketing Transformation