Cloud venues give companies a variety of ways to present products and promotions as well as engage with customers. Traditional advertising has grown costly relative to cloud marketing while the proliferation of mobile devices has enabled customers to interact in ways that transform marketing. The following seven reasons explain why cloud-based marketing is still crucial.
1. Level playing field
Once big companies dominated their market by buying up chunks of broadcast time and multiple print ads. Today websites offer affordable ad space allowing smaller companies to compete without breaking the bank. The Internet also has many blogs, forums, online reviews, and social media sites that represent promotion based not on advertising budgets, but reputation.
2. Return on Investment
Because cloud-based marketing is so much more affordable it allows companies a better return on advertising dollars. A TV ad costs thousands and runs a few times a day. Even large companies are switching ad focus to the cloud because the cost-per-lead is so much less. A free YouTube post can generate more interest (and profit) than any TV commercial .
3. Creates Conversion
Without conversion from audience to buyers, the best advertising is meaninless. Cloud marketing offers a more flexible and intimate way to connect with users, from videos to free resources, that focus customer interest and lead to higher conversion rates.
4. Facilitates Interaction
One of the best ways to get and keep customer interest is through interaction, which might be anything from fun quizzes to social media conversation. Customer engagement at numerous points leads to better brand awareness while improving knowledge about target markets.
5. Brand reputation
One of the most effective forms of marketing has always been referrals, something the digital community facilitates through social media, text, and email. Establishing yourself as a company that delivers on its promises means a boost from excited customers sharing their experience on a viral scale that dwarfs traditional word-of-mouth.
6. Mobile consumers
Mobile users have long outnumbered PC users for online access. Millions of consumers have made mobile connectivity a central part of their lives. This is the time to launch advertising campaigns intended in order to grab a segment of a market that continues to grow.
7. Cloud tools
The cloud enables capture of customer data in real-time at every click. Analytic tools are available from companies like Google or Yahoo that present automatic breakdowns of demographics and purchasing habits to further optimize ad campaigns.
Company-consumer cloud interaction is a two-way relationship where the company learns more about its market while customers expect a response to concerns and ideas. Successful marketing makes the most of this relationship to the point where a customer feels emotionally invested in the company.