Internet of Things and Digital Marketing

With the Internet of Things rapidly becoming integrated into how we live our life, it stands to reason that it will have a significant impact on digital marketing. As it is, there are already twice as many "things" connected on the Internet than people, and is predicted to inflate to 50 billion connected devices by 2020.

• Experts are of the opinion that new marketing models will be needed to accommodate the exchange of data. If, for example, your fridge is emptier than usual, your fridge might be able to “talk” to your mobile device via an app that lets you know you need to go to the grocery store. On the app there will, of course, be brand advertisement that persuades a hungry user to visit certain grocery stores or purchase certain items. In order for advertising to work its way seamlessly into the Internet of Things, there will need to be an exchange of equals – brands get data, and consumers will receive the goods and/or services.
• Digital marketers intent on diving into the Internet of Things must ensure that every data interaction will be effortless and invisible, and marketing strategies must center around stellar content and emotional connections.
• Baseline customer expectations will change. Customers will still highly value their privacy, but they will also look for personalization and predictive marketing. In this way, digital marketers will have to be more flexible to allow for such radical changes.
• Before jumping in with both feet first, digital marketers will need to determine if they can truly provide brand utility on all platforms. The next move is to move from big data to smart data. Amassing all the data that will become available through the Internet of Things is only helpful when said data can be made applicable.
• With all incoming data that the Internet of Things will provide, customers will expect brands and advertisers to have a deeper, more personal understanding of how they function. The app called Mint is an excellent example of this. Users trust the app with their most sensitive data – all banking, loan, 401k, and stock information – and in return, the app provides a secure understanding of how their budget is distributed.
• Another side effect of the mass amounts of data that will be collected is the need for more people on hand to interpret the data, as well as more minds to create better interfaces to report this data and take action.
• With such a “connected life” becoming less of a novelty and more seamlessly integrated into everyday life, designers will want to reconsider the looks of certain wearable devices that connect machine-to-machine or even person-to-machine. Not only will consumers have a multitude of different devices they can choose from, but through digital marketing, they could see all available versions and designs of these connecting devices.
• The Internet of Things essentially means that pretty much every object has the potential to become a “smart” object. This can lead some distributers to sell ideas of “once-dumb” objects made into a new technological opportunity. But digital marketers will be able to benefit most by latching onto ideas that enhance a user’s experience and is not just a gimmicky novelty. If the smart object can make things easier, safer, more efficient, more cost-effective, or add more fun into the user’s life, the more likely the smart object is to withstand any sort of fad.

Essentially, as long as companies can keep up with the flow of data and how quickly consumer needs will change, the Internet of Things will been a boon for digital marketing and how their brand will be perceived.

Source: https://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2326674/the-leading-question-how-will-the-internet-of-things-change-digital-marketing-as-we-know-it

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dmje/5159177886/