The digital shift — why brands are no longer in control?
Everything has moved towards digital, making it clear to me that we are all active participants in the ‘Digital Information Age’. I’m constantly in awe of our unlimited access to information and the interconnectedness of the world, taking globalisation to the next level. More often than not it’s the individual that is not glued to their iPhone that is the odd one out! The very reason for this is likely underlined by our desire and appetite to learn and stay ‘connected’, up-to-date with emerging trends and the fast-paced nature of the modern world.
Our lives are saturated with so much variety and choice that it’s easy to get lost wandering through the depths of the world wide web.
The emergence of ‘digital’, in the way we see it now, has also revolutionised the way that companies interact with customers. One can obtain all the information you need online, while simultaneously scrolling through 25 different articles that have nothing to do with what you are looking for. We have started to have very short attention spans and this is why businesses have to work hard and stay in touch with the latest trends in order to grab our attention.
It is no longer the brand who has the power, it is people who set the trends and companies need to follow them. Never before has it been as important to stay in touch with customers 24-hours a day and 7-days a week. This all might seem obvious but, surprisingly, not every brand realises that. A lot of brands still try to create trends and dictate them instead of listening to what people need and making sure that they can help people make their lives easier.
On platforms such as Facebook and Instagram we see people who we know, and maintain relationships solely online. The fact is that now we are free to choose, free to be exposed to whatever we want to be and have our minds opened even further. It’s all about access, it always has been, and digital platforms have given us an unlimited, unfiltered view of the world from thousands of different perspectives. It has also opened the door for new people to move towards the head of an industry, entrepreneurs who use digital to provide better services to clients and maintain lasting relationships, showing that they care about the concerns of consumers. These are the leaders who are able to change and constantly innovate.
We are now able to transform and disrupt industries globally, while getting a better understanding of the demand for our products and services. By keeping a very close eye on social media and online platforms, companies are able to meet upcoming trends and create useful innovations that can help solve everyday issues and improve people’s experiences.
In conclusion, digital platforms have given rise to information, empowering people and making them active consumers who contribute to innovation and evolution in industries. It allows entrepreneurs and start-ups to compete with the largest brands in the world on nearly an even playing field.
In a world where everything is about the individual you have to remain focused on speaking to consumers on a personal level because as they grow with the digital world they become way more savvy and have a wealth of options ahead of them if you aren’t up to scratch.
