Digital Marketing Is The Hottest Revenue Opportunity For Traditional Agencies

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There is a rumor going around that traditional marketing is dying. There are many arguments against it. I bet you’ve already heard that traditional marketing forms are expensive, that they only work for older customers, that they’re difficult to track. Therefore, to increase their reach and appeal to wider audiences, many brands are switching to digital marketing.

So, does this mean that the traditional agency model is under threat? No. This only means that, in order to gain a competitive advantage, traditional agencies need to keep pace with the digital trends and accept that the content model has changed radically.

Here are a few reasons why traditional agencies should open hearts to digital publishing:

#1 The Need For Omnichannel Marketing Is Growing

For small businesses, the rise of the digital landscape creates a host of opportunities. Still, many small brands struggle being heard in the noisy online world. To increase their reach and boost brand awareness, it’s not enough to have a killer website, to send emails, or be active on social. Today’s customers are tech-savvy and they switch between devices when making purchases. Research says that, 15 years ago, an average consumer would use two touch-points when buying from a brand. In 2019, consumers use six touch-points when making purchases. And, your clients will want to address their needs across all devices and touch-points.

Now, business owners can upload an article on their website or answer questions on social networks on their own. But, when it comes to creating seamless, immersive, and targeted user experiences across multiple channels, well, that’s when they will hire an agency.

An agency’s goal, in this case, is to eliminate the boundaries between offline and online marketing to boost customer experiences.

Research says that 40% of consumers buy online after seeing an offline ad. So, why not use your experience in offline marketing to guide customers to a client’s online channels. For example, agencies could create printed materials with the custom QR codes that could lead their client’s customers directly to their FAQ page, live chat support, or their social channels.

Or, they could create a “To Be Continued” campaign. The content team could wrap clients’ missions, values, and history into a captivating story. They could start with the offline promotion of the story, via brochures, billboards, and flyers, just to intrigue their audiences. Then, they should provide persuasive CTAs to encourage customers to scan the code and visit their clients’ website to read the whole story.

Agencies that excel both in offline and online marketing have an opportunity to provide holistic brand experiences. By producing engaging and responsive content for clients, they will soon boost industry credibility and gain new clients.

#2 Agency Expertise Is Key To Producing Authentic Content

Brands need agencies when creating content.

And, the reason for that is simple. The Martech study found that 3.3 million Facebook posts, 1,400 WP articles, and 448,800 twitter updates are published every 60 seconds.

For brands, this means that just publishing an article and sharing it online is not enough. To stand out, brands first need to focus on the quality, not the quantity of the content they produce.

Second, they need to create content that resonates with their audiences. Stats say that 43% of users only skim through content and spend less than a minute on a page. We’re living in the age of AI and VR that have changed customers’ demands. They don’t want to consume content passively anymore. Instead, they want to participate in it actively. Customers want brands to provide immersive user experiences and target their specific needs and expectations. They want the content to be fresh, innovative, and interactive.

As this requires significant time investments and the creation of an in-house content and design team, many businesses outsource content creation to agencies that are equipped to do the research and produce authentic and targeted content. Creative agencies that understand the importance of visual storytelling and design for creating on-brand and engaging web and print-ready content will definitely gain a competitive advantage in the ever-growing content marketing field.

#3 Clients Expect Consistency Online & Offline

Look at the big brands like Nike. No matter if you see their TV ad, click on their Facebook page, or land on their site, you will recognize their brand immediately. Why is this so? Well, each aspect of their brand identity, from their tone of voice to colors and logos, remains consistent across all online and offline channels.

Customers trust brands that are consistent. And, for young companies, investing in a recognizable and memorable brand presence is critical. This is where working with a skilled agency can help. Namely, to deliver holistic brand experiences, brands outsource their branding and marketing efforts to experts.

Hiring an agency benefits a client in multiple ways. Those are guys that understand the target market and listen to their clients’ needs. Most importantly, they can translate clients’ ideas and values into consistent content and design. The value brands get is immense – no matter if it’s the design of the product labels, printed brochures, case studies, or ebooks, a creative agency ensures that a client’s brand looks the same everywhere.

This is why traditional agencies should stop treating digital content as a threat. Instead, they should form solid teams of content marketing and graphic designers that will help them delete the boundaries between offline and online content forms and deliver omnichannel and consistent experiences to their clients.

Over To You

In 2015, Brad Jakeman, the president of PepsiCo, stated that “The agency model is not going to bend – it’s going to break.”

To avoid that, agencies need to start addressing the needs of the client and their audiences. People want brand content to be interactive and more personalized. They want videos, animations, podcasts, infographics, quizzes. They want to be immersed in engaging user experiences. And, this goes far beyond big-budget TV spots.

So, to get their slice of the pie and stop losing clients, agencies first need to accept that the marketing field has changed. It’s time to stop talking about “offline marketing” or “online marketing.” Let’s address them as “marketing.” Only by forming a balanced marriage between traditional and online marketing will agencies be able to get out of the mindset from 30 years ago and adapt their services to the needs of the modern market.

 

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