Is your website doing all it can?

The digital revolution has created a demand for real-time marketing driven by a desire for immediacy. Customers regard speed and relevancy as an absolute must when it comes to online shopping, forcing marketers to go the extra mile in order to stand out from competitors. 

Real-time marketing invites you to communicate with customers through content they’ll naturally engage with as they engage with it.  By reacting to data as and when you receive it – user location, content viewed and demographic – you can influence different aspects of the customer journey and encourage prospects to progress to the final sale. 

It therefore comes as a surprise to learn from Econsultancy that a huge 29% of businesses aren’t employing real-time marketing in any capacity, including email, search and display. You need more than just a website to reach your online potential. Today’s consumers expect personalisation – the only way to grab their attention is through content that’s specifically targeted at them…. that’s where real-time data steps in. 

What’s so good about it?

The immediate nature of digital marketing requires businesses to use data as quickly and as effectively as possible. A stark contrast to traditional outbound platforms such as direct mail and TV ads, real-time marketing reinforces the ‘one-to-one’ personalised dialogue that consumers look for.  

To meet the shift in expectations, businesses need to respond to customer requests within two minutes, maximum. Slow page loading times and un-optimised sites result in both reduced traffic and low conversion rates. 

So what’s so good about it? 

Real- time marketing shows that you’re in-touch with your audience. Its reactive approach enhances brand authority, proving that you above everyone else, are the business to buy from. As result, you improve the customer experience, attract a greater audience and increase sales.

According to Econsultancy, “the average uplift in conversion rate coming from real-time marketing activities is 26%.” For greater success online, you absolutely must make real-time marketing a strategic priority. 

There’s no margin for error

For many businesses, keeping up with pace is proving to be increasingly difficult. Shoppers expect digital excellence across all channels, including content to suit the person, the device and most importantly, the moment. 

This demand for quality leaves little room for error. Businesses need to adopt an integrated marketing system that puts every step of the customer journey under the spotlight. From well-timed automation systems and relevant blog content to responsive web design, no stone can be left unturned. In collating real-time data at essential steps of the buyer journey, you can personalise the customer experience at a faster rate than competitors and bring your brand to the forefront. 

Real-time data enables marketers to “act as fast as people think and feel” and increase customer retention as a result.  

Real-time initiatives 

Contrary to popular belief, real-time marketing is more than just responding to a few tweets or Facebook posts. There are several key variables that need reviewing for maximum return on your strategy. Take a closer look at aspects such as 

• Location
• Content viewed 
• Common behavioural trends
• Demographic 
• Persona
• Time 
• Device used
• Transactions made
• Even the weather! 

Through sophisticated analysis, you can place customer convenience at the heart of your strategy, and answer important questions exactly when your audience needs it.  Mobile has had a profound effect on the ways in which customers access content and it’s for this reason that location has topped our real-time initiatives list.

Remember: Ensure that your website is doing all it can across both desktop and mobile devices! 

For more information on what real-time marketing can do for your businesses, get in touch with our team of experts. You can email us at hello@livelinknm.com or call for a quick chat on 0161 870 8194 – we’re more than happy to help.