Why Digital Marketing Professionals Need Ideation Platforms

In recent years, consumers have become smarter. They look for genuine value in the products they purchase, rather than simply accumulating stuff that is being randomly sold. Whether this is because of economic realities that reduced wealth, or due to product reviews and online testimonials, the result is the same - people have become choosier over the products they purchase.

Digital marketing channels like social networking websites have become the spearhead of value exchange. As consumers use information on these channels to help them make purchase decisions, social media has become the main force behind recovering segments of the market. Unlike recoveries in the past during which consumers went back to their pre-crisis spending levels, we have seen a marked change in consumer behaviour. According to various digital marketing studies, the consumption of goods/services has decreased, while the time spent on making purchase decisions has increased.

Customers are mostly influenced by online conversations that feature user comments, tweets and posts. When these conversations surround a brand, product, or service provided by a company, they offer immense marketing value. This makes it important for companies to enhance their digital marketing strategy by aligning their organization internally and externally with certain themes. These themes include product quality, durability, environmental sustainability and other characteristics, which help encourage customers to step up to the sales counter and make a purchase.

One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to get more involved with digital marketing activities on social media channels. It will help your digital marketing campaign immensely if you get an understanding of how concepts like content curation, 'liking', and collaboration can help you connect with your targeted market. These concepts can help shorten innovation cycles, and increase user interaction and loyalty.

One of the best technologies to measure return on investment are ideation platforms. These platforms are software-based solutions for bringing together people, to discuss and vote upon ideas. They may be implemented as a section of a strategic, business-based digital marketing campaign. Ideation platforms can be set up by local Drupal/Acquia resources teams as well as by companies like Salesforce.com, Lithium and Jive Software.

Before a digital marketing expert sets up an ideation platform they should formulate a plan. Some companies may choose to ask customers to submit ideas, and later vote for the best idea submitted. The idea with the most votes would be implemented. However, such plans may not be suitable for all companies, brands or products.

In some organizations, change may not be embraced easily and customers may not be treated as helpful sources of ideas. It is time for such companies to begin seeing the need for building cross-functional teams, which are given the responsibility of producing fixed business outcomes, rather than making them track arbitrary measures as defined in a particular policy.

Qudos Digital is a leading digital marketing consultancy and can be contacted on 020 8891 2077 or info@qudosdigital.co.uk.

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