In 2018, the reach of digital marketing is more extensive than ever.
With more individuals choosing to spend their time on digital devices, businesses are faced with an immediate need to establish an online presence.
- Google processes over 40,000 searches by the second. This comes up to a little over 3.5 billion searches each day and more than 1.2 trillion search per annum.
- A study by Pew Research from 2016 indicates that 79-percent of consumers in the United States shop over the internet.
- In 2017, 1.66 billion people purchased goods and services online. This number is set to reach 14 billion people by 2021.
Taking this information into consideration, it is safe to say that digital marketing has become of the most influential avenues in the life of an average consumer. Whether you are looking to stand out from your competitors, or making it easier for your customers to have access to your business, seeking help from digital marketing strategies can help steer your business in the right direction.
Let’s put this out there: Every second that your business is not present online, you miss out on opportunities. What is worse than that? These opportunities fall right into the laps of your competitors and restricts your business from growing.
While most industries, such as the retail and food and restaurant industries have managed to get a good grasp on digital marketing as their source for spreading word about their business and targeting their audience, other industries, especially the pet industry seem to be lagging behind.
Digital Marketing to Benefit Pet Industry
According to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 85 million families throughout the United States house a pet. This number reflects a 56-percent increase in the number of opportunities that the pet industry shared in the 1980s. As new possibilities continue to arise, businesses operating within the pet industry have an open field of opportunities waiting to be taken advantage of.
The following are a few reasons that the pet industry should look into digital marketing:
· Engage Customers
Customer engagement is the easiest way for businesses to draw customers close to their business and promote customer loyalty. Social media platforms such as Facebook provide the pet industry with plenty of ways to connect with their customers. Let’s take Pedigree for example, with the help of polls, contests, and informational content updated on their Facebook page, the business was able to drive up hype surrounding the release of their latest products.
· Drive Traffic with Only As Little As a Good Strategy
Let’s be honest: Most pet stores are locally operated and do not enjoy a budget as lavish as some of the big guns in the industry. Providing these businesses with a fair chance to compete in the industry, social media platforms such as Instagram require nothing but time and a good social media marketing strategy.
U.S. based pet food supply store, Merrick Pet Care is an example of a business within the pet industry that was able to successfully use social media (Instagram, in their case) to share details about their services using well-captioned images and videos.
· Build Reputation
Most pet owners prefer looking up the internet for questions they have concerning their pet. From searching for the right dog food to purchase, to information regarding the perfect scratch pole for their pet, pet owners depend on the internet for answers.
Using content marketing initiatives such as articles, blogs, and infographics, pet stores can direct desperate pet owners to their website and establish themselves as the trusted resource for all their pet related needs.
Additional Benefits to Consider:
Digital marketing is the driving forces behind businesses spread across various industries. Here are a few reasons to convince you of their importance:
- Forget losing your customers to Petco. Experience an evened out playing field to compete with some of the most dominating businesses within the industry.
- Effective digital marketing efforts deliver high conversion leads. This, in-turn, boosts revenue and promotes growth.
- In comparison to traditional marketing channels that can exhaust the budget of a local pet store, digital marketing promises high ROIs on little investment.
Already developed an interest in digital marketing? The article continues to discuss a few ways a business in the pet industry can take advantage of digital marketing.
Establish a Presence on Social Media
Image source: Creative Marketing Collective
The number of users on social media reached 1.96 billion in 2017, and can be seen rising to 2.5 billion by the end of this year. With social media becoming an important source of information and the preferred means of connecting with users and businesses, the pet industry can greatly benefit from building a presence on some of the most influential social media platforms.
42.17 percent of consumers in the United States felt that social media significantly influenced their purchasing decisions.
Post Videos Online
There is nothing like appealing to the emotional side of your target audience. Pet owners are driven by their emotions and can be very easily influenced by a video that can pull at their heartstrings.
The video series called “Dear Kitten” by Purina, with over 25 million views, is an excellent example of how online videos can help businesses garner interest and help businesses reach potential customers.
The use of videos featuring products and services that a business has to offer can instantly build trust amongst the prospective customer and make them more likely to consider purchasing the product or service discussed in the video.
Host Contests
Being able to show off the beauty and intellect of their pet is something very close to every pet owner.
Hosting contests such as “Life is Better Together “by the Petco Foundation on their website earlier this year allowed the business to raise $120,025, create a positive image surrounding their brand and keep customers engaged.
Petco Foundation Contest. Image source: Petco Foundation
Digital Loyalty Cards
Just as impactful as a Starbucks loyalty card, the use of digital loyalty cards in the pet industry can help retain existing customers and attract new customer by offering a value-added service. Being very similar to traditional punch cards, digital loyalty cards eliminate the need for your customers to carry around the card or be at a risk of losing it. It also serves a very important function to your business; these cards provide you with a way to capture valuable information. Requiring customers to provide their phone number or email address each time they wish to redeem the perks associated with the card gives you an opportunity to keep track of consumer behaviour and identify ways you can target your audience more effectively.
The pet industry is a booming one. New companies with unique product lines, better quality, and strong marketing tactics can be seen entering the market often. With the competition growing and tens and hundreds of companies battling out for the top-ranking spots, it has become imperative for businesses within the industry to spread their reach. Digital marketing strategies, paired with the right tools, offer businesses, large and small, a chance to attract customers, secure sales, maximize profits, and meet their set goals with absolutely minimal effort.
