5 tips for digital success in 2021

By Tânia Videira. Published on April 23, 2021

The year 2020 will, without a doubt, mark our lives forever. Not because it was the year of the Euro or the Olympic Games, as we initially expected, but because it was the year that, in a very hard way, transformed our lives without any kind of warning, not even prepared for this digital transformation.

This digital transformation happened not only in companies but also in consumers, who were forced to totally change their mindset, getting used, overnight, to this "new normal". Those so normal tasks, such as going to the supermarket, exercising, going to a work meeting, or even meeting friends, are now done through a device, be it a PC, smartphone, television, or tablet. Just as an example, platforms such as Teams and Zoom went from 112 and 1,064 meetings on average per week (before the pandemic), respectively, to 2,107 and 3,663 meetings on average after the pandemic began, representing an increase of 1,781% and 244%, according to Iowa State University.  

One of the reflections of this virtualization was the strong growth in purchases made by cell phones, where about 45% of consumers said they made purchases using this device. On the other hand, they reduced by 50% the consumption in physical stores. It is important to mention that, all over the world, 40% of consumers had reductions in their budgets, either due to reduced workloads, lay-offs, or unemployment (source PWC). The consequence would be no different, drastically changing the type of consumption. Essential goods are considered priorities, leaving behind more superfluous consumption items such as clothes (-51%), sporting goods (-46%) bars and restaurants (-41%). 

That said, how will this change relate (or already relate) to your business? Will it be necessary to define new strategies? What positioning to assume next to the consumer? How will this new experience be for them? Will your relationship be affected?  

Faced with so many questions and challenges that this new reality has brought us, this article aims to put on the table some basic digital market strategies and actions, which can be easily implemented in our daily lives. For example:  

• DATA: Everything is measurable. And if you are not measuring your data, you better start now! Fortunately, today we have a democratization of access to data, and we no longer need a data scientist for that. Data is easily transformed into information that is crucial to making any decision. Transforming your business goals into smart digital goals, with well-defined KPIs, maybe the smoothest way to achieve the expected results.    
• HOLISTIC APPROACH: It's so basic that in many cases we forget. The sales funnel is determinant so that, in tune with your customer, your costs decrease and sales increase. Working from awareness to conversion, always using specific media channels for each moment of the funnel. The more defined the media strategy, the easier it is to reach the best results.   
• OMNICHANNEL: It is necessary to be focused on the customer and ensure that this interaction experience is unique, special and "user friendly", regardless of the point of contact that the brand establishes with the consumer. If 15 years ago we had an average of 2 points of contact, today it's a different story: the average is 6 times (Source: Marketing Week). Can you imagine the potential that it can add to your strategy? 
• PERSONALIZATION: The pandemic was responsible for leaving consumers far away from their personal relationships. Therefore, message personalization has become an extremely important technique for that closeness and empathy. Using a segmentation beyond demographics, seeking to understand your consumer, dialoguing with their desires, anxieties, tastes, and preferences is fundamental for a good return. The moment marketing, for example, is a great digital strategy that unifies the approach with the consumer and a new form of segmentation, making communication relevant and noticeable.    
• EVERYTHING IS COMPRESSIBLE: Be in the right place at the right time. And today consumers are in front of the computer and, especially, in front of smartphones. So making the most of this kind of contact is very important. There are several tools available, such as Google My Business, Google Shopping, Instagram Shop, Marketplace or Live Shopping that will help conversions, attracting more audience and relevance to your brand.  

If we look internally, within our companies, projects, etc., some of these strategies can be easily implemented. And they will be valid not only in this time of uncertainty but especially in times to come. 

Using the basics, as discussed here, will be enough for us to have more tangible results, whether the increase in sales, the reduction of expenses, and efficiency in the actions taken. But remember: it is clear that Covid-19 and its consequences are volatile and always require innovations and adjustments to achieve its results.

The changes caused by Covid-19 have altered the way we consume, the way we live in society, and our individual behaviours:

• 74% work from home at least some days of the week.
• 59% have increased their use of video-chat platforms since the pandemic began.
• 44% of Millenials have an Amazon Prime subscription.
• 36% spend more on entertainment and media since the pandemic.
• 35% have done their "shopping of the month" online or via mobile since the pandemic and 86% say they will continue to shop this way even after.
• 45% increased smartphone use for shopping, as opposed to a 50% decrease in in-store purchases - smartphones are the device that has won the most consumer preference and that just keeps growing!