The advent of digital ads is inevitable given the shift in people behaviour. Today’s consumers make brand decisions based on a broad range of digitally connected networks, from Facebook to WhatsApp, according to a recent report on digital marketing trends for 2022 on the MIT Sloan website.

Plenty of eyeballs is crucial in marketing, as pointed out by regional digital media manager at L’Occitane Group Daniel Andrew Khong.

“We always talk about eyeballs, but how many eyeballs can you attract with the traditional billboard today?” he asked.

Khong pointed out that the lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021 also meant that people were out less frequently.

“You could not travel so the eyeballs are pretty much at home, and they are usually on the screen,” he told FMT Business.

But screen presence alone is unlikely to take the advertiser very far.

Since social media consumers are influenced by what their social network peers think about different products and services (a trend called “social proof”), marketers must employ granular analysis to really understand the role of social media in marketing, according to IDE director Sinan Aral.

Aral examined 71 different products in 25 categories purchased by 30 million people on WeChat and found significantly positive effects from inserting social proof into an ad, although the effectiveness varied.

For example, Heineken had a 271% increase in the click-through rate, while Disney’s interactions rose by 21%. There were no brands for which social proof reduced the effectiveness of the ads, Aral said.

Today’s consumers make brand decisions based on a very broad set of digitally connected networks, from Facebook to WhatsApp, and the mix is constantly in flux.

The advent of digitalisation and technology has changed modern life, and eyeballs have literally shifted from billboards to screens.

However, the traditional market is still relevant, according to J Global Academy co-founder Javendra Kumar.

“Traditional marketing is the backbone that positions you in the modern world, but digital marketing is the supporting framework that gives the consumer a background of the product advertised,” he told FMT Business.

“People in almost all age groups now own a smartphone, and notifications from our social media are automatically turned on when we download and create an account on an app,” he said.

“This opens up an opportunity for brands and businesses to be one of those notifications, depending on how strong their content marketing is,” he said.

Khong and Javendra agree that more than advertising a product or service, digital marketing also offers data-oriented results.

For instance, Khong explained, the traditional billboard could perhaps get the attention of a million people a month.

But with digital marketing, the business or brand can even track down the individuals they have reached through social media such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. “That enables them to get quantifiable analyses into their audience’s behaviour,” Khong said.

Digital marketing has evolved by leaps and bounds since the early 2000s but, Khong said, integrated marketing strategies still apply today. “Both digital and integrated marketing play a pivotal role in selling your products,” he said.

As a young man himself, Javendra believes that to approach the target audience, specifically the younger generation, the advertising approach should be creative with a touch of humour.

Both Khong and Javendra also agree that digital marketing is often viewed as more budget friendly and more targeted than traditional marketing.

“Both are complementary. Digital marketing has a return on investment but we still need some traditional marketing to go with it,” Khong said.

FazGlobal Holdings head of marketing, branding and strategy Danananthini Surianarayana, too, believes it is more cost-effective.

For instance the traditional billboard at 10 different locations would cost about RM30,000 but with digital marketing, one could get a similar reach for only RM10,000, he told FMT Business.

The bottom line is that digital marketing utilises artistic directions and data science to attract and retain customers. Businesses need this to build their brand, establish their reputation, and differentiate themselves from the competitors.