In the world of digital marketing, there is no room for traditionalists and control freaks. The line between marketing and digital marketing is blurred, and the decision-makers are in the digital sphere itself. This transition has created multiple new roles that must be mastered in order to be effective within the industry. 

Amongst all the changes, the most fundamental shift is that the “stakeholders” of marketing are no longer restricted to consumers. Thanks to the digital nomads, the role of the customer is being redefined. They are no longer the end-users of our products or services; they are our stakeholders because they have a voice in the matter, and they are using the tools that we provide to have a greater impact on the products and services that they use.

New Roles

Since the dawn of time, marketing has been about getting people to notice you. Your product, your service, and your brand. Now that we’re in the digital age, this focus has shifted to attracting online audiences and engaging them into taking some form of action, be that buying a product, registering for a service, or simply engaging with your content.

In today’s digital marketing landscape, traditional marketers must adapt to new roles and take on new responsibilities in order to be effective.

Chief amongst these new responsibilities is the role of a stakeholder. A stakeholder is someone whose opinion you value, who has an interest in the matters you look into, and who can potentially affect the decisions that you make. Essentially, a stakeholder is anyone whose input you consider, regardless of whether that input is positive, negative, or neutral.

The Need For Speed

In a time where consumers have a voice and are gaining more power and independence, online marketing must move at the speed of life. When consumers have a problem, they want to find answers fast, and when they find answers, they want to be able to share them with the world.

In a time where consumers can and will change the product and service that they use if their experience is poor, businesses must adapt and ensure that these changes are taken into consideration in order to remain relevant.

Where To Now?

So, what does this all mean for marketers? It means that you must now consider a wide range of stakeholders instead of just your typical consumers. This means that you must think about people who are affected by your product, whether directly or indirectly. It also means that you must consider people who are important to your business, but who may not necessarily be customers. Finally, it means that you must take into account the people who use your product, whether they’re familiar with the brand or not.

These stakeholders have different goals and opinions, and in order to satisfy all of them, you must ensure that you are adapting your strategy to their needs. In our next post, we will discuss the five stakeholder types that you need to consider and how to approach them respectively.