No one-size-fits-all strategy for digital marketing

Mexicali Blues’ younger shoppers flock to its stores when they see the apparel brand’s ads at local school events or direct mail promotions. But the brand is not finding those teenage shoppers online. Instead, it’s found a nice cohort of shoppers ages 35-55 that click on its Facebook ads and buy its merchandise on MexicaliBlues.com.   

Jacqui Segura, director of marketing at Mexicali Blues, knows firsthand that what type of marketing works for one demographic may not work for another. The medium and message must be tailored to the target audience if the marketing is going to attract and convert shoppers.   

Results from Digital Commerce 360’s 9th annual digital marketing survey of online retail marketers reveal this as well. Marketers use a range of digital marketing tactics that vary in effectiveness. While marketers rank the staple digital marketing tactics — paid search and email marketing — as top revenue drivers, the other channels can be hit or miss with marketers.  

For example, SMS marketing really works for some merchants. 29% of retailers rank SMS marketing as highly effective, among the top “highly effective” marketing channels. However, significantly fewer marketers (26%) ranked it as somewhat effective. This means that of the marketers that use SMS marketing, only 55% say it is effective. This makes it the eight overall effective channel, with content marketing, affiliate marketing and marketplace ads beating it out for effectiveness.   

Digital Commerce 360’s July Strategy Insights dives into digital marketing tactics from large and small brands and uncovers ways marketers have leaned into practices that are working, such as with social media marketing. Plus, a look into retail media networks, including why they are growing in popularity and what types of brands they are a fit for. What’s more, the 9th annual marketing survey shows insights into what is happening with digital marketing budgets, what approaches are effective, and the adoption of growing tactics, such as using artificial intelligence and values-based marketing.   

—April Berthene, Editor, Strategy Insights