Essay Example on Digital Marketing

What concerns do you personally have that a good policy would address?

A lot of digital marketing is concerning the practicalities; actually, the back-end is not seen by the users. Honesty, conviction and high opinion secure the repeat visits and raise brand loyalty. These key characteristics have to be found in digital marketing agency to attract company. Digital strategy is essential to know whether the marketing of the product is in the right place, engaging the right audience and being publicized at the most favourable time. It should not have overcomplicated strap lines or be too lengthy that loose the interest of the viewers. The crisp and to the point of sale messages are required against to the extended communication that is not good enough anymore. A good policy reduces the time spent playing the guessing game and diverting the spectators thoughts. It focuses on the accomplishment of the companys objectives by getting ahead of the competition. For a decision maker, a good policy supports with competitive information of where to adapt; when things changes, by suggesting tactics apply for the future marketing battle.

What digital marketing techniques are clearly OK and which are more questionable, and why?

The significant pillars of digital marketing are classified as online and offline marketing. The digital marketing techniques are the categories of online marketing that include Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content marketing, Social Media Marketing (SMM), Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC), Affiliate marketing, and Email marketing. All these techniques have vital pros and cons in their application. SEO is OK as it optimises the online content and makes the search engine to show it as first result for searchers on definite keywords. Content marketing is all about storytelling, may not be successful in attracting suitable customers as long as all the audience are interested to read the step-by-step guide. SMM is gaining more importance in catching the attention of the viewers on social media platforms and websites by promoting a product or service. PPC is a model of online advertising where the company pay a fee each time one of its ads is clicked. This advertisement is questioned from the cost and outcome point of view and whether it would result in buying process or not. Affiliate marketing technique is based on performance where company rewards one or more affiliates for each viewer brought by the own efforts of affiliates. This method is questioned as companys marketing success is more dependent on the efforts of affiliate and it is commonly confused with referral marketing.

Are any of these methods clearly excluded by one of the following ethical tests?

Organization requires ethical guidelines for the list of possible marketing methods which include 1) Digital personalization 2) Computer automation of customer relationships nurturing 3) Analysis of online behaviour data to reveal personal buying patterns 4) Rewarding or discouraging behaviours by use of social media gamification and 5) Willingness to blur the boundaries of privacy. Among these five methods, the 4th one violates the classical ethical test i.e. respects the rights of everyone to not be manipulated, to act freely in private, and to not be harmed. The 5th method violate the ethical test i.e. fosters the personal virtues one should strive to achieve.

And if so, can it be modified to be performed ethically?

Yes. It can be performed ethically by being transparent and building trust in the minds of audience/respondents. Rewarding or discouraging behaviours by use of social media gamification method violates the ethical test requirements that it respects the rights of everyone to not be manipulated, to act freely in private, and to not be harmed. Use of social media itself leads to manipulation of data as the identity is disclosed while using the app or on the registered mail id search. Therefore, an individuals identity is disclosed though they act freely in private. On the social media, it asks for the permission to use the contact details which is the mark of manipulation and harming the privacy of the individual on the platform. Therefore, getting the information should be through gaining the trust than for the self-motto of the organization.