The Effects of Real-Time Internet on Digital Marketing Campaigns

This month's article in Marketing Week's Digital Strategy Supplement talks about the very real effect that the real-time internet is having on the way we manage our online marketing strategies, from our analytics customisation to how and when we display adverts.

Let's take adverts as a 'for instance.' Think about an online auction with real-time bidding. The auction determines what adverts are being shown at that particular time. The same goes for Facebook as users can engage alerts which show where they are in real time, allowing adverts to be tailored to the moment and situation.

Constant optimising

In the article, Michael Nutley provides an example of the benefits of constant optimisation using the WWF. By paying close attention to analytics and using other methods to stay alerted to real-time indicators and then constantly optimising their site to reflect those trends, the WWF was able to improve their conversion rates between August 2009 and August 2010.

Customers know what they want, and when they want it...

Another point Nutley brings up is the fact that today's social media users want to hear from brands when it suits them best, and not when it suits the brand best. To most successful way to achieve this is to implement marketing campaigns that incorporate ways to stay in constant communication with their end users.

The truth is, accelerated technology has made staying abreast of consumer wants both easier and more difficult. But, when we successfully combine real-time technology with the conversation mentality of today's end users, the result is targeted, relevant advertising appearing at a time when it will be best received.