Question

a) In your opinion, how will the role of promotion change with the advent of the new digital media landscape?

b) To what extent do online consumer reviews affect consumer decision making?

c) How can marketers prevent the negative effects of consumer reviews?

Answer 1

Part A) In my opinion here is how promotion role has changed with the advent of the new digital media landscape:

• It has improved the overall efficiency. Digital media and online platforms offer customer-centric data like age, patterns of consumption, interest and values which help to design effective and accurate advertisement campaigns which are very different from the traditional scope of marketing.
• Digital media has made advertising more interactive, personalised and one on one interaction between brand & the ultimate consumer. These social media platforms and technology like mobile ensure that advertising has a targeted reach. It helps to design multiple variations for each customer segment.
• Digital media platforms and various channels help to rotate the advertisement messaging. It can be controlled depending on a social media platform. Even the techniques and format of the advertisement has advanced a lot.
• Photo ads, short videos, slideshow, text ads, infographics have all come in the field and area of advertisement because of the internet, mobile and social media.
• The new platforms like Facebook, twitter, snapchat, youtube, LinkedIn all are viable advertising channels. The planning of advertisement has to be done wisely and balanced portfolio must be created.
• Advertisement in the new age has become about community engagement. Through various hashtags, it helps to foster interaction with customers across borders and creates a credible brand image.

Part B) The customer reviews and feedback plays a big role in consumer decision making and here are some of the research pointers on the same:

• The reviews are an important source to make the decision for the new age generation like Millennials and Gen - Z.
• The blogs and various reviews help to decide the product as many alternatives are available in the market.
• Bad customer review can impact the brand of the company and also the usage of the product.
• If companies don't make changes, address complaints and make improvement the product sales is at a danger zone in the long run.
• Customer review and the address by firms add trust and improve the message of the business by showing concerns towards improvement and addressing customer negative reviews helps build loyalty.
• The customer review has become an important aspect of client relationship management as it helps to improve the business message and build repeat customers.

The social & digital media and the internet have created the possibility of customers to have duality in communication and engagement with brands and their products/services. It has contributed the organisation to plan their marketing and advertising strategies that help them connect strongly with customers.

Part C) Here is how marketers can prevent the negative impact of consumer reviews:

• It is important that firms focus on creating a great product and service which will create positive reviews.
• Being your own customer by regularly testing out products will help to identify problems which the customer might experience later and help bring the superior product of the market.
• It is important to be approachable as a brand. The customers should find it easy to reach out to you and by giving opportunity for faster access many negative reviews can be contained.
• Offer different modes of communication for a customer - emails, phone and social media can help listen to more voices and help address the problems in a prompt and effective manner.
• It is highly important to respond in a prompt and quick manner to issues and offer an alternative solution to the customers.
• The client management and customer feedback tram should be well trained and have a personal approach while dealing with feedback and complaints. The behaviour and methods of use can prevent many negative reviews.

Overall it is also important as a firm to ask and encourage the customer to leave reviews. It makes them understand that we will value the opinion and if the process is well managed leads to build the brand credibility in the right direction.

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